Thick-billed Ground Pigeon

Here is a short video of Thick-billed Ground Pigeon (Trugon terrestris) that I made when I and some villagers were guiding a French wildlife photographer in Klaimis, a lowland rainforest outside of Sorong city. 

The bird was sleeping on a branch of a tree around 2.5 meters above the ground. This bird, during the day, spends most of its time on the ground feeding on fallen fruits, seeds and insects.  At night it sleeps on the branch of a tree. 

Deforestation that continues to happen in New Guinea is becoming a serious problem for the survival of endemic plants and animals of this tropical island. 

A lot of species of birds could be seen in this forest. There are Lesser Bird of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Trumpet Manucode, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Blue Black Kingfisher, Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher, Azure Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Superb Bird of Paradise, Wompoo Fruit-dove, Pink-spotted Fruit-dove, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Western-crowned Pigeon, and etc.

Visitors who take wildlife watching trip in Klaimis need to bring their own binoculars, camera with telephoto-lens and spotting scope (optional). For night walk in the forest, visitors need to bring flashlight. 

The average duration of stay for visitors who take wildlife tour in Klaimis forest is 3 to 4 days. There is a simple wooden house with 3 bedrooms that was built by villagers as accommodation for visitors.

This wildlife tour in Klaimis forest of Sorong regency can be combined with wildlife trip in Raja Ampat such as in Waigeo or Batanta islands for tour participants to watch Red Bird of Paradise, Wilson's Bird of Paradise as well as other animals such as cuscus, and monitor lizard.

If you are interested in taking a wildlife watching and photography tour in Sorong regency or Raja Ampat of Southwest Papua Province of Indonesia, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp through this contact link.

Also read:

• Birding tour in Klaimis forest of Sorong regency
• Wildlife tour in Klaimis forest
• Wildlife watching trip in Klaimis forest
• Morning General Birding Trip from Sorong city
• Bird Photography Tour in North Sulawesi
• Birding in Sonder

Wildlife Tour to Klaimis Forest of Sorong Regency, Indonesia

Klaimis is a rainforest area in Sorong regency of Southwest Papua Province, Indonesia. The rainforest is the natural habitat of a lot of species of tropical birds, mammals, reptiles, insects. 

Wildlife watching tour in Sorong regency

Birds of paradise that could be watched in Klaimis forest include Lesser Birds of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Glossy-mantled Manucode, and Trumpet Manucode. 

There are also Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher and Common Paradise Kingfisher, Blue-black Kingfisher.

In general wildlife watching activity is usually conducted early in the morning from 05:00 to 11:00 and from 15:00 to 18:15. Night walk is carried out after dinner from 20:30 to 22:00. 

There also mammals. Some of them include fruit bats, dorcopsis, brown tree mouse, wild boar, bandicoot, long-fingered trike and cuscus. 

Eastern-hooded Pitta

For insects, visitors could see various species of butterflies such as the Silky Owl Butterfly, Ulysses Butterfly, Common Green Birdwing and Cruiser butterfly. 

The duration of the tour in Klaimis forest is usually 3 to 4 days. It can be extended to other areas in Raja Ampat such as Waigeo or Batanta. 

Accommodation: There is a small wooden house in Klaimis forest. There are seat toilets with water supplied by a pump from a nearby river.

What to bring

Visitors who take multiple day wildlife tour in rainforest need to bring camera with telephoto lens, binoculars, extra batteries, rain poncho or raincoat, anti insect lotion, and torch/ flashlight. 

Lesser Bird of Paradise

How to get there?

To take this wildlife tour, visitors need to fly from their country to Sorong city which is the capital of Southwest Papua Province in the Republic of Indonesia. 

There are daily flights from major cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Makassar and Manado city to Sorong city. They are served by 

Visitors can fly from Singapore to Manado and then to Sorong city. 

If you are interested in taking a wildlife tour to Klaimis forest and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or through whatsapp by pressing the following button:

Also read:

• Explore Sorong city and its surroundings
• Sorong city Sightseeing and Birding Tour
• Morning Birding Tour from Sorong city
• 1 Day Birding Tour in Sorong's Lowland Forest and Coastal Area
• Wildlife Watching Trip in Klaimis Forest of Sorong Regency of Indonesia
• Night Wildlife Tour in Klaimis Forest of Sorong regency
• Birding in Klabili and Malagufuk
• Birding in Sonder
• 1 Week Bird Watching and Photography Trip Across North Sulawesi
• Birding and Wildlife Tour in Tangkoko Nature Reserve

1 Day Birding Tour At the Outskirts of Sorong City

Morning Birding

I often receive requests from visitors who want to do sightseeing and birdwatching trip from Sorong city. There are several interesting sites to explore. The recommended one is the rainforest area at the outskirts of Aimas Town. We need to start early in the morning at around 05:00. I will meet tour participants at the hotel in Sorong city and then organize their transfer by car to birding site. It takes around 45 minutes to reach it. We will watch the first target which is the Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise. Usually we spend between 30 minutes to 1 hour to watch the paradise bird. After that we will continue our activity by doing general birding. We will look for any species of birds that sit on the branches of trees or fly in the air. They include Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Hooded Butcherbird, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Red-cheeked Parrot,  Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Willie Wagtail and etc. Usually, at 10:00 a.m. the air temperature is hotter and the activity of bird is little. We will return to Sorong city to take a rest.

Birding and Sightseeing Tour in Sorong city

Afternoon Birding

We usually start at 14:00. Our destination is the mangrove forest. We will look for such birds as Orange-fronted Fruit-dove, Brown-backed Honeyeater, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Spotted Dove, Collared Imperial Pigeon, Common Sandpiper, Striated Heron, Pacific Golden Plover, Emperor Fairywren,  and etc. At 18:00, the light starts to decrease. We will return to Sorong city before dark.

Beautiful Fruit-dove

As a tourist guide, I provide a spotting scope or a pair of binoculars that is mounted on a tripod. This will allow tour participants to watch birds that sit in distant branches of trees. 

Birdwatching in Sorong

Participants need to bring insect repellent lotion or spray, rain poncho. They could also bring binoculars or camera if they have.

More tours to other interesting places

In addition to birdwatching, I also offer sightseeing tour to Doom island, the north coast of Sorong and traditional markets.

If you are interested in taking this birding tour, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to +6281332245180 or through this contact link. 

Also read:

• Sorong City Sightseeing and Birdwatching Tour
• What to do in Sorong city
• Birds in the Suburb of Sorong city
• Sightseeing and Meditative Trip to Buddhist Temple
• Sorong city Sightseeing and Birding Attractions for Tourists

• Birding and wildlife tour in Tangkoko and Minahasa highland
• Birdwatching Tour in the Farmland and Forest of Minahasa Highland
• Birds in North Sulawesi

Sketch of Azure Kingfisher

Here is a sketch of Azure Kingfisher (Ceyx azureus)that I made on a small pocket sketch-book using Faber-Castell watercolour pencil.

This Azure kingfisher usually can be found along the sides of creeks in lowland tropical rainforest of West Papua region. 

A Sketch of Azure Kingfisher

Birding in Tambrauw and Sorong (5 Days/ 4 Nights)

I have just completed a tour in Klabili village of Tambrauw regency and in the birding sites at the outskirts of Sorong city and Aimas town. I guided a couple from the Netherlands. We spent 3 days/ 2 nights in Klabili and 2 days/ 2 nights in Sorong to watch birds. During our stay in Klabili, we explored the rainforest of the village where we saw various species of rainforest birds including Papuan Pitta, Eastern Hooded Pitta, Blyth's Hornbill, Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Beautiful Fruit-dove, Pink-spotted Fruit-dove, Wompoo Fruit-dove, Zoe Imperial Pigeon, Yellow-faced Myna, King Bird of Paradise, Sahul Sunbird, Black-capped Lory, Red-cheeked Parrot, Frilled Monarch, Streaked-headed Honeyeater, Brahminy Kite, Long-tailed Honey-buzzard, and New Guinea Vulturine Parrot (Pesquet Parrot -ebird)etc. 

Eastern-hooded Pitta

We also did some night walks in Klabili where we saw Papuan Frogmouth and Flying fox.

At the outskirts of Aimas town in Sorong regency, we saw Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Hooded Butcherbird, Black Butcherbird, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Brown Oriole, Helmeted Friarbird, and Metallic Starling. We also explored coastal area in the north coast of Sorong. There, we saw Common Sandpiper, Pacific Reef Heron, Brahminy Kite, Torresian Crow, Beach Kingfisher. We also saw, perhaps, a Blue Rock Thrush, on top of a rocky islet. Well, it is not a common bird in this region. 

Birdwatching in the north coast of Sorong regency

We also visited Love Hill of Sorong where we saw Yellow-faced Myna, and Black Butcherbird. In mangrove area at the outskirts of Aimas town, we saw White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Brown-backed Honeyeater, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Collared Imperial Pigeon, Orange-fronted Imperial Pigeon, Common Sandpiper, Pacific Golden Plover and Little Heron. There were Scaly-breasted Munia and Spotted Dove which, probably, were escaped caged birds. 

Rainforest at the suburb of Sorong city; Brahminy Kite, Beach Kingfisher

To watch birds, I use 2 pairs of 10×50 binoculars. I carried one and the other pair was mounted on the tripod. This allows everyone to watch birds that were sitting on distant branches of trees. 

Wompoo Fruit-dove

Also read: 

• Sorong city Birding Tour
• Morning Birding Tour in Sorong city

Birding Tour in North Sulawesi: Tangkoko, Lake Tondano, Mount Mahawu & Sonder Forest

Some Birds in Sonder of Minahasa Highland

North Sulawesi is one of the best places in Indonesia for birdwatching. In a short distance, you can visit rainforest, lakes, farmland, and mountain forest. A birding tour that includes:

• Tangkoko Nature Reserve
• Lake Tondano
• Mount Mahawu
• Sonder Forest

This trip gives you the chance to see many special birds that only live in Sulawesi.

Birds in North Sulawesi

Tangkoko Nature Reserve

Tangkoko is a famous rainforest area in North Sulawesi. It is one of the best places to see Sulawesi’s unique birds. The forest is close to the coast and has many different habitats.

Some birds you may see here include:

* Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher

* Green-backed Kingfisher

* Sulawesi Hornbill

* Lilac Kingfisher

* Sulawesi Pitta

Gursky's Spectral Tarsier

The best time to watch birds in Tangkoko is early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when birds are most active. In addition to birds tour participants could also see mammals, reptiles and insects. Attractive mammals include Celebes-crested Macaque, Spectral Tarsier, and Sulawesi Bear Cuscus. 

Rusty-backed Thrush

Lake Tondano

Lake Tondano offers a different birding experience. It is a large lake surrounded by villages, rice fields, and open land. This area is good for seeing waterbirds and birds that live in open spaces.

You may see:

* Wandering Whistling Duck

* Purple Heron

* White-browed Crake

* Yellow Bittern

* Collared Kingfisher

The lake area is also a good place to see birds flying over the water and feeding in the fields.

Collared Kingfisher

Mount Mahawu

Mount Mahawu is a small volcano with cool mountain forest. There is a walking path around the crater, making it easy to explore. The higher elevation means you can see different birds than in the lowland forest.

Some possible birds include:

• Scaly-breasted Kingfisher
• Sulawesi Scops Owl
• Sulawesi Myzomela
• Mountain White-eye
• Sulawesi Cuckoo-Dove

On clear days, you can also enjoy beautiful views of the crater and surrounding landscape.

Crater of Mount Mahawu

Lake Linow

This is a volcanic lake that is always visited by tourists. We could see a lot of species of birds both along its shore and in the water. There are Sunda Teal, Javan Pond Heron, Whiskered Tern, Little Egret, Woodsandpiper, Barn Swallow, White-breasted Waterhen and etc.

Sonder Forest

Sonder Forest is a quieter and less crowded birding spot. It has mountain forest with tall trees and thick vegetation. This makes it a good place to find shy birds.

You may find:

• Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker
• Sulawesi Drongo
• Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker
• Black-naped Fruit-dove
• Black-crowned White-eye
• Crimson Sunbird
• Yellow-sided Flowerpecker
• Mountain Tailorbird
• Black Sunbird

Because fewer people visit Sonder, it is peaceful and great for slow birdwatching and photography.

Yellow-sided Flowerpecker

Why Visit All These Places?

Each location offers a different type of habitat:

* Rainforest

* Lake and rice-field wetlands

* Farmland

* Mountain forest

* Water-falls

By visiting all four places, you increase your chances of seeing many different bird species, especially those found only in Sulawesi.

Barred Rail

Best Time to Go

You can go birdwatching in North Sulawesi at any time of year. However, the dry season usually makes forest trails easier to walk. Early mornings and late afternoons are the best times to see birds.

A Great Birding Experience

A birding tour to Tangkoko, Lake Tondano, Mount Mahawu, and Sonder Forest is a wonderful way to explore nature in North Sulawesi. With beautiful scenery and many special birds, this trip is perfect for bird lovers and nature enthusiasts.

Flight routes to Manado city

How to get there?

You need to fly to Manado city. It is the capital of North Sulawesi province in Indonesia. We could meet you at the airport and then organize your tour to birding sites mentioned in this blog post.

Accommodations

There are homestays, guesthouses and hotels that you could stay in during your birding/ wildlife watching tour in this part of North Sulawesi province. We could organize it for you.

If you are interested in taking day birding tour to the above places and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or through whatsapp by pressing this contact link.

Birds and Paddy Fields in Sonder

Also read:

• Birding Across Tangkoko Nature Reserve, Mount Mahawu, Sonder Forest and Manado city
• Birding and Wildlife Tour in Tangkoko and Minahasa Highland

Birding in Klasow Valley of Sorong with a Swiss Lady and a French Girl

From 5 to 7 Oct. 2025, I guided a Swiss lady on a birdwatching tour in Klasow valley of Sorong regency. We walked through the forest to find paradise birds and other tropical birds of West Papua. During the 3 day/ 2 night tour in the rainforest, we were able to see Lesser Bird of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird and Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise. We also saw Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Orange-bellied Fruit-dove, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Yellow-faced Myna, Pale-billed Scrubwren, Orange-footed Megapode, Papuan Pitta and a lot of other birds. 

Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Papuan Pitta

It rained in the afternoons and at nights during the tour. However, we managed to watch most of the target birds that we had planned to see. 

During the tour, we also saw a lot of beautiful butterflies. Some of them were Silky Owl Butterfly, Ulysses Butterfly, and New Guinea Clipper, Eastern Red Lacewing (Chetosia cydippe). We completed our trip with the morning walk to the dancing site of Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise.  

Hibiscus in Klasow valley

I am now guiding a French girl on a rainforest wildlife watching tour in the same Klasow valley. We started yesterday (8 October 2025) and will finish the trip tomorrow (10 Oct. 2025). 

So far, we have seen Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, and a lot of other tropical birds of West Papua. 

If you are interested in taking a tour in West Papua or other parts of Indonesia such as Tangkoko Nature Reserve, Mount Mahawu in Minahasa highland, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or through whatsapp by pressing this contact link.

Related Posts:

• Sorong city Sightseeing and Birdwatching Tour
• Klabili Village for Birdwatching
• Bird Photography Tour in Klabili and Waigeo
• Birdwatching and Photography Tour in Minahasa Highland and Tangkoko Nature Reserve
• Collared Kingfisher
• Birdwatching in Sonder of Minahasa Highland, Indonesia
• Birding walk in the farmland and paddy fields of Sonder in Minahasa highland
• Birding in Sonder of Minahasa
• Birdwatching in the Farmland of Sonder, Minahasa highland
• Walking Tour, Birdwatching and Butterflywatching in Sonder of Minahasa Highland
• Birding in Paddy Fields of Sonder, Minahasa Highland
• Birding Paradise: Exploring North Sulawesi from Manado to Minahasa Highland

Tropical Birds in Sorong and Raja Ampat

A lot of visitors fly to Sorong city as the main gate to Raja Ampat. Most of them go to Raja Ampat to enjoy swimming, snorkeling or scuba diving or even take a trip by liveaboard boat to explore remote islands. 

However, there are some of them who are interested in combining their marine tour with land tour. The most popular tour which they can enjoy is birdwatching. They can do it in Sorong city and in Waigeo island. There are a lot of tropical birds which they could watch some of them are mentioned here.

Puff-backed Honeyeater in Waigeo of Raja Ampat

Birds in and at the outskirts of Sorong city

Mangrove Forest - A long the coastal area of Sorong city, visitors could watch such birds as Orange-fronted Fruit-dove, Brown Oriole, Helmeted Friarbird, Blue Fronted Fig Parrot, Brown-backed Honeyeater, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Sacred Kingfisher, Blue Black Kingfisher, Sahul Sunbird, Willie Wagtail, Common Sandpiper, Striated Heron and etc.

Hill Forest - More birds could be seen when we go to a hill of Sorong city. There, we could find birds such as Yellow-faced Myna, Black Sunbird, Olive-crowned Flowerpecker, Double-eyed Fig Parrot, Pacific Baza, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Black Butcher bird, Glossy Swiftlet, Uniform Swiftlet, Red-cheeked Parrot, and a lot more. 

Sorong's Ridge Forest - This birding site is located outside of Sorong city around 1 hour trip by car. Birds that we could watch include Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Pink-spotted Fruit-dove, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Coconut Lorikeet, Mimic Honeyeater, Black-browed Triller, Helmeted Friarbird, Zoe's Imperial Pigeon, Brahminy Kite.

Nortern Coast of Sorong city - This is the site for finding Beach Kingfisher, Lesser Frigatebird, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Sahul Sunbird, Whimbrel, Pacific Reef Heron, and etc.

The duration of birding tour at the outskirts of Sorong city can be as short as half day to 1 day to as long as 2 days depending on the time which participants have. 

Birds in Waigeo and Batanta of Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat is an important destination for birdwatching tourism. It is the place for watching Red Bird of Paradise, Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Hooded Butcherbird, Yellow-faced Myna, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Palm Cockatoo, Spice Imperial Pigeon, Pied Imperial Pigeon, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Brown Oriole, Helmeted Friarbird, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Papuan Eclectus, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Shining Flycatcher, Mimic Honeyeater, Moustached Treeswift, Common Sandpiper, Little Egret, Pacific Golden Plover, and etc. 

The average duration of birding tour in Waigeo island of Raja Ampat is as short as 3 days 2 nights to as long as 4 days/ 3 nights. It can be longer if the itinerary includes trip to remote islands such as Batanta, Merpati and Urai. 

What to bring

Most birdwatchera bring a pair of binoculars. Some of them bring D-SLR or mirrorless camera with 600 mm telephoto lens. Rain poncho will also be needed. 

The birding trip in Raja Ampat could be combined with snorkeling and sightseeing trip to see marine life, tropical islandd, and karst.

Booking

If you are interested in taking a birding tour in Sorong city and Raja Ampat, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or through whatsapp by visiting this contact link.

Also read:

• Birds in North Sulawesi
• Reizen in Noord Sulawesi
• Birdwatching Tour in Sonder of North Sulawesi
• Birding Paradise: Exploring North Sulawesi from Manado to Minahasa Highland

Birding in Klasow Valley

Klasow valley is a huge lowland rainforest area in the east of Sorong regency. It is a favorite destination for tourists who love birdwatching and wildlife watching. 

New Guinea Harpy Eagle

A lot of species of birds could be found in Klasow valley. Here are some of them: Lesser Birds of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Trumpet Manucode, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Azure Kingfisher, Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Sacred Kingfisher, Blue-black Kingfisher, Hook-billed Kingfisher, Papuan Eclectus, Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Red-cheeked Parrot, Coconut Lorikeet, Black-capped Lory, Black Lory, Rainbow Bee-eater, Orange-bellied Fruit-dove, Pink-spotted Fruit-dove, Ornate Fruit-dove, Sultan's Cuckoo-dove, Great Cuckoo-dove, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Western-crowned Pigeon, Hooded Monarch, Frilled Monarch, Spot-winged Monarch, Mimic Honeyeater, Glossy Swiftlet, Uniform Swiftlet, Spine-tailed Swift, Moustached Treeswift, Papuan Boobook, Rufous Owl, Papuan Hawk Owl, Papuan Frogmouth, Marbled Frogmouth, Papuan Nightjar, New Guinea Harpy Eagle, and a lot more. 

Some birds in Klasow valley

There are some forest sites in Klasow valley that are good for birdwatching. Some of them include: Klabili village, Kasulala forest, Klatomok village and Malagufuk village. 

Klabili is famous for watching Hooded Pitta, Papuan Pitta and New Guinea Vulturine Parrot. 

Kasulala is a highly recommended site for watching and photographing birds of prey. There are Pacific Baza, Variable Goshawk, Gray-headed Goshawk, Brahminy Kite, Gurney's Eagle. 

In general, visitors spend between 3 to 5 days in Klasow valley to see most of the birds in the area. If the tour in Klasow valley is combined with another birding tour in Raja Ampat, the total number of days could reach 12 to 14 days.

Birding in Klasow valley

Visitors usually bring binoculars, camera with telephoto lens, and spotting scope to watch and photograph birds in Klasow valley. 

Other animals that could be watched in Klasow valley include wallaby, cuscus, possum, monitor lizard, bandicoot, snakes, fruit bats,  and etc. 

If you are interested in taking a birdwatching tour in Klasow valley and want me to organize your tour, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or through whatsapp by visiting contact link.

Also read:

• Bird Photography Tour in Klabili and Waigeo
• Watching and Photographing Tropical Birds in Raja Ampat
• Birds in the Suburb of Sorong City
• Sorong City Birding Tour
• Birding in Sonder
• Tangkoko National Park

Birds in Malagufuk's Forest and Raja Ampat

Birds are attractions for tourists who love nature. I am quite busy this month because I have to guide tourists on several birdwatching trips in the forest of Malagufuk, at the outskirts of Sorong city as well as in Waigeo island of Raja Ampat. Every place has got unique species to see. They also share a large number of bird species.

Palm Cockatoo

Here are birds which visitors could watch in Malagufuk village of Klasow valley: Lesser Birds of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Trumpet Manucode, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Pink-spotted Fruit-dove, Zoe Imperial Pigeon, Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon, Western-crowned Pigeon, Superb Fruit Dove, Wompoo Fruit-dove, Beautiful Fruit-dove, Sultan's Cuckoo-dove, Black-billed Cuckoo-dove, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher, Azure Kingfisher, Black-capped Lory, Papuan Eclectus, Yellow-capped Pygmy Parrot, Coconut Lorikeet, and etc.

For birds in Waigeo, here are some of the vocal points: Red Bird of Paradise, Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Brown-headed Crow, Papuan Eclectus, Spice Imperial Pigeon, Pied Imperial Pigeon, Claret-breasted Fruit-dove, Osprey, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Brahminy Kite, Beach Kingfisher, Torresian Crow, Willie Wagtail, Common Sandpiper, Pacific Reef Heron, Radjah Shelduck, Red-cheeked Parrot, Coconut Lorikeet, Great-billed Parrot, and etc.

Most tourists will fly to Sorong city if they want to enjoy their holiday in Raja Ampat. The outskirts of Sorong city have got some interesting birds to see such as Orange-fronted Fruit-dove, Double-eyed Fig Parrot, Sahul Sunbird, Olive-crowned Flowerpecker, Black-browed Triller, Yellow-faced Myna, Golden Myna, Helmetted Friarbird, Brown Oriole, and etc. 

There are still a lot of other species that birdwatchers and photographers could see when traveling to these places. 

Visitors could combine birdwatching and photography tour with snorkeling and sightseeing in Raja Ampat islands. 

Binoculars or Camera

Most birdwatchers bring binoculars 10×42 mm. Famous brands such as Nikon, Swarovski, and Leica are the preferable choice. Some of them will bring point and shoot camera with telephoto lens. Photographers usually bring D-SLR or mirrorless camera, telephoto lens and tripod. 

Booking

If you are interested in visiting Sorong city for your holiday in Raja Ampat, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or through whatsapp by visiting this contact link.

Also read:

• Birding in Raja Ampat and Sorong Regency
• Birding near Sorong city
• Wildlife Photography Tour in Tangkoko and Minahasa Highland
• Birdwatching in Minahasa Highland

Birding, Sightseeing in Sorong and Raja Ampat

Short Day Birding Tour Near Sorong City

In the past few weeks I guided tourists on various birding, sightseeing and snorkeling tours in Sorong. Most of participants have just returned from their snorkeling and scuba diving trip in Raja Ampat. There are also visitors who have just arrived in Sorong city. After taking this short tour, they will continue their trip to Raja Ampat.

Birdwatching/ wildlife tour in Sorong regency of Indonesia

I usually pick up the participants of the tour from such hotels as Swissbel, Aston, or Rylich Panorama. Sometimes, I meet the participants of the tour at DEO Airport of Sorong city. They arrive in the mornings by Garuda, or Batik Air.

Rainforest Tour in Sorong city

The tour at the outskirts of Sorong city allows visitors to explore forest to watch birds, butterflies and flower plants as well as see the magnificent beauty of the coastal area of Sorong. In my recent trip, I and the participants of the tour watch various species of birds such as Gray-headed Goshawk, Lesser Bird of Paradise, Papuan Pitta, Red-billed Brush Turkey, Blyth's Hornbill, Red-cheeked Parrot, Black-browed Triller, Double-eyed Fig Parrot, Yellow-faced Myna, Sahul Sunbird, Variable Goshawk, Papuan Eclectus, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Orange-bellied Fruit-dove, Whimbrel, Pacific Reef Heron, Common Sandpiper, Gray Crow and etc. 

Pinon Imperial Pigeon

The short birding tour is conducted in the mornings or in the afternoons depending on the time and interest of the participant. For general birding, we usually start at 05:00 in the morning and finish at around 09:00. We usually go by chartered car. The number of participants is between 1 person and 10 people. to For afternoon birding, we start at 14:00 and finish at 18:00. Bringing camera and binoculars will greatly enhance this wildlife tour. 

A few days ago, I and some tour participants from South Africa saw dugong at a beach in Sorong city.

Papuan Eclectus

Birding and Snorkeling in Raja Ampat

The island of Waigeo is a great destination for visitors who are interested in both birdwatching and snorkeling. There are a lot of tropical avifauna that we could see in Raja Ampat. Some of them  are Papuan Eclectus, Claret-breasted Fruit Dove, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Pied Imperial Pigeon, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Yellow-faced Myna, Red-cheeked Parrot, Beach Kingfisher, and etc. Most tourists like to watch Red Bird of Paradise, and Wilson's Bird of Paradise. 

This rainforest birding can be combined with snorkeling and sightseeing tours to a lot of coral reef sites in Raja Ampat such as Friwen, Mioskon, Yenbuba Strait, Arborek, Piaynemo and etc. A lot of reef fish could be seen in the coral reef. They include Striped Surgeonfish, Parrotfish, Anemonefish, Butterflyfish, Moorish Idol, Wobbegong, Carpet Shark and etc. 

Snorkeling photo from Waigeo of Raja Ampat

Coral reef in Raja Ampat

Piaynemo Karst in Raja Ampat

If you are interested in taking this birding, sightseeing and swimming tour in Sorong city and Raja Ampat, and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180. 

Wildlife Tour in Kasulala Forest of Sorong Regency

Kasulala is the name of a forest area in the east of Sorong regency that is the natural habitat of various species of plants and animals. It can be reached by a 4WD car for around 1 hour 40 minutes. 

There are cuscus, dorcopsis, fruit bats, wild pigs, bandicoot, and etc. For reptiles, there are monitor lizard, and snakes. Kasulala is also the habitat of hundreds of species insects and birds. 

Bird of Prey in Kasulala Forest

Visitors who are interested in exploring the biodiversity of Kasulala forest need to bring binoculars, flash light, rain poncho, wellington boots, insect repellent, binoculars and camera. Birdwatching is a very popular tourism activity in Kasulala. So, bringing a spotting scope is also highly recommended.

Ground Orchid in Kasulala forest of Sorong regency

Birds that can be watched in Kasulala forest include Lesser Birds of Paradise, King Bird of Paradise, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Blue-Black Kingfisher, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Papuan Eclectus, Red-cheeked Parrot, Large Fig Parrot, Double-eyed Fig Parrot, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Palm Cockatoo, Coconut Lorikeet, Yellow-faced Myna, Golden Myna, Shining Flycatcher, Frilled Monarch, Mimic Honeyeater, Brahminy Kite, Long-tailed Honey Buzzard, Gray-headed Goshawk, Pacific Baza, Western-crowned Pigeon, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Zoe Imperial Pigeon, Pink-spotted Fruit-dove, Orange-bellied Fruit-dove, Blyth's Hornbill, and etc.

Papuan Eclectus

King Bird of Paradise

Birding activity is usually conducted very early in the mornings, in late afternoons and at nights. Tour participants need to bring their own binoculars to enhance their birding experience.

Most often, sound player is used to call certain species of bird for tour participants to see. Some birds such as the Black-sided Robin, Blue Jewel Babbler, Papuan Pitta and Hooded Pitta can be called using their recorded sounds. 

Wompoo Fruit-dove

For mammal watching, this is usually carried out at nights using flash lights and thermal scope. Night birding is often carried out after dinner to find nocturnal birds such as Papuan Frogmouth, Papuan Boobook, Papuan Hawk Owl, and other birds that sleep on the lower branches of trees. 

Usually, visitors spend around 3 days/ 2 nights in Kasulala to explore the plants and animals of the forest.

Accommodation

There are simple guesthouses in Kasulala forest for visitors who want to stay for several days. It is not luxurious but it is good enough as accommodation for visitors who want to stay near the forest during their wildlife watching tour. 

Basic Accommodation in Kasulala Forest of Sorong regency

Birding in the Suburb of Sorong City

For visitors who do not have much time, they could still enjoy nature/ birding tour in the suburb of Sorong city. Usually the duration of the tour is half or full day. 

Forest areas that can be visited include mangrove, ridge forest, hill forest, and coastal area of Sorong city. 

Birds that can be watched include: Brown Oriole, Helmeted Friarbird, Beach Kingfisher, Sacred Kingfisher, Brown-backed Honeyeater, Orange-fronted Fruit Dove, Olive-backed Sunbird, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Glossy-mantled Manucode and etc. 

Birding tour from Sorong city

Booking

If you are interested in taking a birding tour in Kasulala forest or the suburb of Sorong city, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Also read: 

• What to do in Sorong city
• Short Birding Tour in Sorong City
• Birding near Sorong City
• Sightseeing Tour in Sorong City for Non Birders
• Birding in Raja Ampat and Sorong Regency

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Birding in Raja Ampat and Sorong

Visitors who travel to Sorong city can take birding and wildlife watching tours in Raja Ampat and Sorong regency. The duration of the tours is from 5 to 7 days. 

While in Sorong regency, visitors can visit Kasulala forest to watch Lesser Birds of Paradise, King0 Bird of Paradise, Brown Oriole, Helmeted Friarbird, Red-cheeked Parrot, Hooded Butcherbird, Coconut Lorikeet as well as ground hopping birds such as Hooded Pitta and Papuan . 

Visitors who like to explore rainforest could do night walk to look for Papuan Frogmouth, Marbled Frogmouth, Papuan Boobook, Papuan Hawk Owl and other birds sleep on lower branches of trees. 

In addition to birds, visitors could also watch butterflies, monitor lizard, cuscus and snake.

Palm Cockatoo

In Waigeo, visitors could watch such birds as Red Bird of Paradise and Wilson's Bird of Paradise. 

A lot of other birds could be watched in those places including Palm Cockatoo, Eclectus Parrot, Yellow-billed Kingfisher and Rufous-bellied Kookaburra.

Snorkeling in Raja Ampat

Tour participants who take this tour could combine birding and snorkeling. Usually, snorkeling is done at the house reef of the resort or homestay which they stay. Snorkeling tour to other sites such as Friwen wall, Urai, and Yenbuba Strait as well as Arborek could also be organized upon request.

Coral reef in Raja Ampat

Snorkeling Photo from Raja Ampat

Wilson's Bird of Paradise

If you are interested in watching birds and enjoying snorkeling in Raja Ampat as well as hiking and wildlifewatching in Sorong regency, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com. 

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• Birdwatching in Malagufuk, Snorkeling in Raja Ampat
• Birding in Malagufuk with 5 British Tourists

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