Birds of Paradise Watching Trip

King Bird of Paradise in Arfak Mountains

I have just completed a 2-week birding tour in West Papua province of Indonesia. It started in Arfak range of Manokwari and finished in Raja Ampat islands. Three visitors from China, Australia were the participants of the tour. We spent 4 days in higher montane forest, 2 days in lower montane forest of Arfak range, 5 days in Klasow valley and finally 3 days in Waigeo island.

When hiking and birding in higher montane forest, we watched Magnificent Bird of Paradise (Diphyllodes magnificus), Western Parotia (Parotia sefilata). We also saw a Superb Bird of Paradise for a few minutes when he was eating fruits in Besuei tree. Other birds that we saw in the mountains including Vogelkop Bowerbird (Amblyornis inornata), Green-backed Robin, Blue-grey Robin, Vogelkop Melidectes, Feline Owlett Nightjar and Mountain Owlett Nightjar, Brown Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia amboinensis).

Lesser Birds of Paradise in Sorong Lowland

We spent one night camping in the forest of Mount Mabowi to find Lesser Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea minor), and King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius) We were able to see them both but were not lucky enough to see Cuscus Possum during a night walk near our basecamp. 

The next trip after Arfak range was lowland rainforest of Sorong regency. There we spent 5 days in a jungle village located near Klabolo creek. Klabolo means Naked Water in local language of Mooi tribe. Again, we saw Lesser Birds of Paradise, and King Bird of Paradise. We were very lucky to also watch the Male Magnificent Riflebird for approximately 15 minutes in a branch of a tall tree near our jungle hut. While in the lowland forest of Sorong, we made several attempts to see Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise (Seleucidis melanoleuca). Unfortunately, we could only hear its sounds in the mornings and in the afternoons. 

Red Birds of Paradise in Raja Ampat

However, we saw a lot of other birds in lowland forest of Sorong regency. Some of them include Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Hooded Butcherbird, Golden Myna, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Helmetted Friarbird, Lowland Peltop, Orange-bellied Fruit Dove, Large Fig Parrot, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Palm Cockatoo, Blyth's Hornbill, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, and Yellow Faced Myna.

Wilson's Bird of Paradise

At the conclusion of our Birds of Paradise Watching Trip in West Papua, we watched Wilson's Bird of Paradise and Red Bird of Paradise in Raja Ampat. We saw them in the afternoon and early in the morning. It was an unforgetful experience for the participants of the tour. In addition to hiking, and birding, we enjoyed swimming, snorkeling and seeing the beautiful scenery of Raja Ampat islands at the end of our trip. 

If you want to take a private tour with me as your guide to watch Birds of Paradise and enjoy swimming and snorkeling in Raja Ampat, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or send text message to my whatsapp: +6281332245180.

A Guesthouse in Raja Ampat for Birding, Snorkeling and Relaxing