Paradise Bird Watching and Wildlife Tour in Indonesia

Friday, June 27, 2025

Watching and Photographing Paradise Birds in Raja Ampat and Sorong Regency

I have organized several trips this month for some birdwatchers and photographers who want to see tropical birds in Raja Ampat and Sorong regency. During each of the trip, we explored the southern region of Waigeo to look for Glossy-mantled Manucode, Wilson's Bird of Paradise and Red Bird of Paradise. On the second part of the trip, we did rainforest tour in Malagufuk village of Klasow valley to find Lesser Birds of Paradise, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird and King Bird of Paradise. The duration of this tour is 8 days/ 7 nights.

Wilson's Bird of Paradise

We experienced heavy rain during most of this tour. The month of June is quite a challenging experience for me. The walking path in the forest became very muddy after the heavy rain. Fortunately, we could see and photographs most of the paradise birds that I mentioned above.

We saw and photographed other birds as well such as Wompoo Fruit-dove, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Red-cheeked Parrot, Papuan Eclectus, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Black-capped Lory, Coconut Lorikeet, Palm Cockatoo, Blyth's Hornbill, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Black-sided Robin, Golden Myna, Yellow-faced Myna, Olive-crowned Flowerpecker, and etc.

Magnificent Riflebird

Although most of our activities are about birdwatching and photography tour, we also spent time on swimming and snorkeling especially in the house reef areas of the resort. Reef fish such as striped-surgeonfish, diagonal sweetlips, parrotfish, butterflyfish, anemonefish could be seen and photographed at depths of 1.5 to 2 meters or more.

Coral reef in Raja Ampat

If you are interested in taking a holiday in Indonesia by enjoying birdwatching and photography tour in Raja Ampat, Klasow valley of Sorong regency and other parts of Indonesia such as Minahasa highland and Tangkoko Nature Reserve, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

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Monday, June 23, 2025

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 by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Also read:

Friday, May 9, 2025

Birdwatching in Raja Ampat of Indonesia

Raja Ampat is a famous destination for visitors who love swimming, scuba diving and snorkeling. However, it is also a good destination for birdwatching. A lot of species of tropical birds could be watched and photographed in Waigeo island such as:

Wilson's Bird of Paradise
Red Bird of Paradise
Papuan Eclectus
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Palm Cockatoo
Black-capped Lory
Coconut Lorikeet
Great-billed Parrot
Red-cheeked Parrot
Yellow-faced Myna
Rufous-bellied Kookaburra
Yellow-billed Kingfisher
Common Paradise Kingfisher.
Beach Kingfisher
Collared Kingfisher
Sacred Kingfisher
Olive-crowned Flowerpecker
Sahul Sunbird
Black Sunbird
Lowland Peltop
Pinon Imperial Pigeon
Pied Imperial Pigeon
Great Cuckoo-dove
Black-billed Cuckoo-dove
Claret-breasted Fruit-dove
Brown Cuckoo-dove
Claret-breasted Fruit-dove
Spice Imperial Pigeon,
Golden Monarch
Willie Wagtail, and etc.

Red Bird of Paradise

A lot of coastal or sea birds could also be seen there. They include:

White-bellied Sea Eagle
Osprey
Lesser-crested Tern
Common Tern
Black-naped Tern
Common Sand Piper
Pacific Golden Plover
Pacific Reef Heron
Striated Heron
Great-billed Heron
Purple Heron,
Whimbrel, and etc.

Swimming and Snorkeling

Tour participants who want to enjoy swimming or snorkeling can do it at the house reef of the beach resort or homestay where we stay at. The coral reef of Raja Ampat is the habitat of a lot of species of marine creatures such as moorish idol, butterflyfish, striped surgeonfish, parrotfish, wrasse, wobbegong, anemonefish and etc.

Snorkeling in Waigeo island of Raja Ampat

White sandy beach in Urai island and Waigeo

Birding, swimming and snorkeling tour in Raja Ampat

Orange Skunk Anemonefish

Birdwatching near Sorong city

The tour to Raja Ampat for watching birds could be combined with the tour to the outskirts of Sorong city to watch interesting species of birds such as Blue-fronted Fig Parrot, Orange-fronted Fruit-dove, Brown-backed Honeyeater, Glossy-mantled Manucode, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Brown Oriole, Helmeted Friarbird, Black-browed Triller, Blyth's Hornbill, and etc. Usually, tourists who are in transit in Sorong city do not have much time. They can enjoy morning birding trip that starts at 05:00 a.m. and finishes at 10:00 a.m. or afternoon birding tour from 14:00 to 18:00 p.m.

Participants need to bring their own binoculars. If they do not have the device, as a guide provide a spotting scope that is mounted on a tripod for everyone to share.

For identification of birds that we see or photograph, we could use Merlin App.

Booking

If you are interested in taking a birdwatching tour in Raja Ampat and the outskirts of Sorong city, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Night Walk Tour in the Forest of Sorong City

I have just conducted a night walk tour in the forest of Sorong city for an American tourist. The tour started at 08:00 when I picked him up from Swissbel Hotel. We went to a forest near Sorong city. I was accompanied by a driver and a local guide.

Before starting the walking tour, we had some tea and coffee with some cakes that I bought from a bread store. We could feel the sudden change of atmosphere. From a city with a lot of lights to a rainforest that is very dark. On the positive side, we could see stars in the dark sky.

When we were walking along a road inside the forest, we used sound recordings to attract birds. We played the sounds of Papuan Frogmouth, Marbled Frogmouth, Papuan Boobook.

Flying Fox in the forest of Sorong regency

Although we walked for quite long, we did not feel hot at all. The temperature of the forest that night was cool. We were able to watch Papuan Frogmouth and Marbled Frogmouth. We also saw some flying foxes in trees and flying in the air.

Papuan Frogmouth in the forest of Sorong city

We completed our night walking tour in the rainforest of Sorong city at around 00:15. It was a nice trip although we did not see many animals. When we arrived in Swiss Belhotel, it was 00:30 in the middle of the night.

Morning or Afternoon Birding Tour

For visitors who are interesting in taking birdwatching tour at the outskirts of Sorong city. Usually the morning birding tour starts at 05:00. We will go to birdwatching site outside of Sorong city by car. It takes around 1 hour. As soon as we arrive, we could see the sun light on the canopy of the forest. Birds that we could watch include Yellow-faced Myna, Golden Myna, Eclectus Parrot, Coconut Lorikeet, Black-browed Triller, Black-capped Lory, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Hooded Butcherbird, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Blyth's hornbill, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Claret-breasted Fruit-dove, and etc.

Papuan Eclectus

To enhance the birding experience of the participants, I will bring spotting scope. We will also walk along the beach area to enjoy the landscape of the coastal area as well as watching birds. Beach Kingfisher is the main target at the beach but we could see other species such as Willie Wagtail, Whimbrel, Common Sandpiper, Pacific Reef Heron, Striated Heron, Little Egret, Pacific Golden Plover and etc.

Beach Kingfisher

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

Sorong City Birding Tour

The outskirts of Sorong city have got several sites that are good for sightseeing and birdwatching tours. Tourists could take this tour to see the beautiful natural landscape of forest, hills and coastal area a little outside the busy city and at the same time, watch colorful avifauna such as parrot, doves, kingfishers, and hornbills.

These tours are suitable for tourists who are in transit to or from Raja Ampat.

Golden Myna - birdwatching tour from Sorong city

ITINERARY

05: 00- 06:00 - We usually starts early in the morning at We will meet you at your hotel and then organize your transfer by car to hill area outside the city. It takes nearly one hour to reach it. We will have tea or coffee with some biscuits and fruits to start our activity.
06:00 - 08:00 - When the sunlight brightens the sky, birds begin to show up on the branches of trees. We will use spotting scope to watch them. We will look for such birds as Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Eclectus Parrot, Palm Cockatoo, Blyth's Hornbill, Coconut Lorikeet, Black Lory, Yellow-faced Myna, Golden Myna, Helmetted Friarbird, Black-browed Triller, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Pacific Baza, Sahul Sunbird, Black Sunbird, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Pinon Imperial pigeon. We will walk along the roadside to watch them. In general, we spend around 2 hours doing the birdwatching walk.

The harbour area of Sorong city as seen from Buddhist Temple

08:00-10:00 - We will continue our activity to the coastal area. We will do birdwatching along the boardwalk to look for coastal birds such as Beach Kingfisher, Little Egret, Pacific Reef Heron, Torresian Crow, Common Sand Piper, Whimbrel and White-bellied Sea Eagle. The seascape view of beach area outside Sorong city is beautiful.
10:00-11:00 - We will return to Sorong city. After a short stop at a Buddhist Temple or a traditional market, we will bring you back to your hotel. End of The Tour.

Yellow-faced Myna

Sightseeing and birdwatching tour from Sorong city

If you are interested in taking this short birding tour during your waiting time in Sorong and want me to organize your tour, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.