Wallacea 2014

Sulawesi, Halmahera, Ternate, Sangihe & Talaud

Cerulean Paradise Flycatcher

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WALLACEA 2014:

Sulawesi, Halmahera, Ternate, Sangihe & Talaud, Oct-Dec 2014

Introduction

This report details a six week trip around parts of Eastern Indonesia, which had the aim of seeking out

as many Sulawesi and Northern Maluku endemic and range restricted species as possible, visiting the

classic birding locations of the area, and some more of the remote islands between Sulawesi & the

Philippines. The trip was initially planned by Shaun Coyle, who researched and programmed the

itinerary, and included myself; and for parts of the trip also Jon Gallagher and Tim Sykes. The report

is based on my notes and any background research into the trip and species seen or likely; with

additional input from Shaun, Tim and Jon. Tim visited Lore Lindu and Halmahera in mid-December,

and additional data from Tim’s trip to these locations is also provided.

Logistics

The various trip reports posted on Cloudbirders (www.cloudbirders.com) were accessed prior to the

trip, and this website resource is the best first stop for any trip planning. Equally as good for

Indonesia is the Birding Indonesia website (www.burung-nusantara.org), which has additional

resources for visitors to all parts of Indonesia, including .kml files to birding sites, for GPS users.

The single most useful trip report, and one that was referred to first to nearly all sites visited in both

Sulawesi and Halmahera was that from Herve & Noëlle Jacob:

Herve & Noëlle Jacob (2012) Sulawesi & Halmahera. Independent trip report. 10 September

to 23 October 2012 (+ additional field notes by Ben Schweinhart & Blake Dyer

August/September 2012).

The other trip reports on Cloudbirders all provided useful information and background, especially the

more recent ones from eg: Yann Muzika (2013), Hans Matheve (2012), Henk Hendriks (2012), Israel

Didham (2009) & (2011), Peter Collaerts (2012), Allen Drewitt (2010), Jon Hornbuckle (2008 et al),

and from Birdforum.net, Larry Wheatland (2009) (Sulawesi starts at post 792).

For Sangihe & Taluad, there is much less information out there, but sufficient (and crucial)

information is provided on the Birding Indonesia website to get you to the right places, as well as in

trip reports from:

Markus Largervist (2006), Wallacea. Sangihe, Sulawesi and Halmahera

Phil Benstead (2001) ‘Indonesia’.

With further background information in the two recent tour group trips Birdtour Asia

(2012)’Remote Indonesia’, and Birdquest (2011) ‘Beyond Sulawesi’

The website for the homestay on Sangihe was also useful http://www.sulawesi-

info.com/sangihe.html

Further sources of information included:

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information from various email exchanges on the Oriental Birding email group, especially for

information on the Binagara area in Halmahera;

information from Paul Derbyshire on Sulawesi & Halmahera from his trip in 2012;

information from Duncan Wilson from his trip in 2011, along with many bird calls;

information from Mike Catsis on birding in Sangihe and Talaud from his trip in 2013, which

was very useful as this was the area with the least up to date information;

a map of the road route to a forest trail on Gunung Lompobattang from Mark Thibault

Thanks are extended to everyone who assisted and provided information.

The field guide for the Wallacea area of Indonesia, Coates & Bishop (1997) ‘Guide to the Birds of

Wallacea’ is now out of print and difficult to get hold of for a reasonable price. We were helped with

a copy in this regard by Paul Derbyshire, thanks again Paul! Also of use was the Handbook of the

Birds of the World, accessed via subscription to their new website HBW Alive. A copy of a

Photographic Guide to the Birds of Indonesia by Morten Strange (2012) was also brought along, and

this was useful, but is not comprehensive in its coverage of Eastern Indonesia.

Bird calls were also obtained from Xeno Canto (www.xeno-canto.org), which is an amazing resource.

Thanks to all who have uploaded calls onto this website.

A Note on Timing

November is the end of the dry season and start of the monsoon season for Northern Sulawesi. In the

south the dry season lasts longer. During the trip we experienced no heavy rain in the Lompobattang

area; some rain in Lore Lindu curtailing a couple of afternoon’s birding; lots of rain in Bogani Nani

Wartabone National Park preventing most afternoon/eve birding here; heavy rain both morning and

afternoons in the Tangkoko and Manado area preventing some birding; on and off heavy rain in

Sangihe on one of our two days; limited rain in Talaud; and also only limited rain in Halmahera/

Ternate, which could be withstood whilst in the field.

Locations

The map below shows the general locations visited:

(1) Gunung Lompobattang

(2) Lore Lindu

(3) (a) Gunung Ambang & (b) Bogani Nani Wartabone sites

(4) Gunung Mahawu

(5) (a) Ternate & (b) Sidangoli

(6) Galela

(7) Foli

(8) Binagara

(9) Sangihe

(10) Talaud

(11) Tangkoko

A detailed itinerary is provided in the table below.

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Map 1: The above map shows the general locations of sites visited

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2

3b

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

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3a

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Itinerary

Date am pm eve Accom Location

27/10/2014 Heathrow Flight Travel

28/10/2014 Doha Flight Kuala Lumpur Wheelers Guest Hose, Chinese Sector Travel

29/10/2014 Kuala Lumpur Flight to Makassar Drive to Malino Private house adjacent to shop Gunung Lompobattang

30/10/2014 Gunung Lompobattang Gunung Lompobattang Gunung Lompobattang Private house adjacent to shop Gunung Lompobattang

31/10/2014 Gunung Lompobattang Shared taxi to Makassar Makassar New Legend Hotel Gunung Lompobattang

01/11/2014 Flight cancelled New Flight to Palu shared taxi to Wuasa Sendy Guest House Lore Lindu

02/11/2014 Anaso Logging Track Anaso Logging Track Anaso Logging Track Sendy Guest House Lore Lindu

03/11/2014 Anaso Logging Track Anaso Logging Track Anaso Logging Track Camping on Anaso Track Lore Lindu

04/11/2014 Anaso Logging Track rained off around Wuasa Sendy Guest House Lore Lindu

05/11/2014 Pipeline Track Pipeline Track Pipeline Track Sendy Guest House Lore Lindu

06/11/2014 Lore Lindu mai-n road Anaso Logging Track Anaso Logging Track Sendy Guest House Lore Lindu

07/11/2014 Pipeline Track Pipeline Track Pipeline Track Sendy Guest House Lore Lindu

08/11/2014 North of Wuasa travel to Palu on shared taxi eve Palu Hotel Purnama Raya Lore Lindu

09/11/2014 am flight to Makassar/Manado Bus to Kotamabagu Kotamabagu Hotel opp Hotel Ramayana Travel

10/11/2014 Shared Taxi to Gunung Ambang Gg Ambang Gg Ambang/heavy rain Pac Julius Homestay Gunung Ambang

11/11/2014 Gg Ambang Gg Ambang Gg Ambang Pac Julius Homestay Gunung Ambang

12/11/2014 Bus to Kotamabagu private taxi to Tambun/rained off rained off Max's new Homestay Bogani Nani Wartabone

13/11/2014 Tambun Ojek to Tambing/rained off rained off NP accom Bogani Nani Wartabone

14/11/2014 Torout rained off rained off NP accom Bogani Nani Wartabone

15/11/2014 Torout/shared taxi to Manado Manado Manado Hotel Rex Bogani Nani Wartabone

16/11/2014 private taxi to Gunung Mahawu Bus to Manado Manado Hotel Rex Gunung Mahawu

17/11/2014 Flight to Ternate water taxi to Sidangoli Sidangoli KM12/road Sidangoli Indra Hotel Sidangoli

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18/11/2014 KM12 trail private taxi to Galela Scrubfowl beach camping on beach Galaela

19/11/2014 Scrubfowl beach/taxi to Daru private charter boat to Foli Foli logging track Pac Jerffri Homestay Foli

20/11/2014 Foli logging track Foli logging track Foli logging track Pac Jerffri Homestay Foli

21/11/2014 Foli logging track Foli logging track Foli logging track Pac Jerffri Homestay Foli

22/11/2014 Foli logging track Private taxi to Binagara Binagara Pac Roji Homestay Binagara

23/11/2014 Binagara River site Private taxi to Sidangoli Sidangoli village Sidangoli Indra Hotel Binagara

24/11/2014 KM12 trail Sidangoli rained off Sidangoli Indra Hotel Sidangoli

25/11/2014 KM12-6 along road charter boat to Ternate Ternate Hotel Nirwana Sidangoli

26/11/2014 Danau Tulire Flight to Manado Overnight Ferry to Tahuna, Sangihe Ferry Travel

27/11/2014 private taxi to Lelipang, Tamoko Gunung Sahendaruman Lelipang Village Rainbow Loseman Sangihe

28/11/2014 Gunung Sahendaruman Gunung Sahendaruman Private taxi to Tahuna Bintang Utara Sangihe

29/11/2014 Day ferry to Manado Day ferry to Manado Private taxi to Tangkoko Mama Roos Homestay Travel

30/11/2014 Tangkoko Tangkoko Tangkoko Mama Roos Homestay Tangkoko

01/12/2014 Tangkoko KM10 (heavy rain) taxi to Manado Overnight ferry to Talaud Ferry Tangkoko

02/12/2014 Melonguane - private taxi to Beo

Beo - Talaud Community College

Beo - Talaud Community College Maysan Homestay Talaud

03/12/2014 Beo - south of town Beo - north of town Beo Maysan Homestay Talaud

04/12/2014 Beo - Talaud Community College Overnight Ferry to Manado Ferry Ferry Talaud

05/12/2014 Hotel Grand Luley for Kingfisher

Manado then Gg Mahawu (Raining) Private taxi to Tangkoko Mama Roos Homestay Manado

06/12/2014 Tangkoko KM10 Tangkoko Mangroves Tangkoko access track Mama Roos Homestay Tangkoko

07/12/2014 Tangkoko KM10 Tangkoko reserve Tangkoko reserve Mama Roos Homestay Tangkoko

08/12/2014 Tangkoko main road Tangkoko KM7 private taxi to Manado Hotel Rex Tangkoko

09/12/2014 aborted trip to G. Mahawu Manado Manado Hotel Rex Manado

10/12/2014 Flight to Jakarta Flight to Kuala Lumpur Flight to Doha Flight Travel

11/12/2014 Flight to Heathrow Arrive Heathrow Travel

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Costs

The currency in Indonesia is the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) at the time of visit the exchange rate was

roughly £1 = IDR19,000.

I booked my air tickets three months prior to departure, taking Shaun’s lead, who had managed to

book a series of flights (long haul and internal) mostly through the airline websites on his debit card

for a total of £775 a couple of weeks before. For me the long haul was with Qatar Airways to Kuala

Lumpur and cost £557 return from Heathrow with a layover in Doha. A total of seven internal flights

were also booked at the same time, mostly using the carrier Lion Air, and for the initial flight from

Kuala Lumpur to Makassar with Air Asia. The total cost of the internal flights came to £306

(averaging £43 per flight). My credit card didn’t seem to work on the Lion Air website and I used an

intermediary website to book all my internal flights: www.tiket.com/. This was efficient and I had e-

tickets within 24hours from Lion/Wings Air for all flights booked.

A Visa is necessary in Indonesia for UK citizens, which can either be obtained on arrival and is valid

for 30 days ($25US), or for longer durations can be obtained from the Indonesian Embassy in

London, valid for 60 days (costs £35 but inc. postage charges & special delivery SAE = £53).

An airport tax of IDR150,000 is payable on leaving the country. Airport taxes for internal flights

were also charged, and these varied from IDR15,000 to IDR50,000 per airport.

National Park entrance fees were significantly increased in summer 2014. All national parks in

Indonesia now charge a fixed IDR150,000 per day per person. This was enforced every time we

met a park ranger in all national parks visited. An acceptable charge when you are visiting parks that

have reasonable protection (eg Tangkoko – although even here we still bumped into people hunting

mammals by spotlight); a little more disappointing a proposition when you spend most of your time in

disturbed habitats, and where long term protection seems, based on past events, unrealistic.

A more detailed log of expenses can be downloaded here (except food, which probably cost us on

average IDR25,000-30,000 for a main meal with drink).

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Selected Diary

The sections below describe trip highlights.

(1) Gunung Lompobattang

Introduction

The slopes of Mount Lompobattang rise up from the lowland plains of south Sulawesi. It is a

reasonably isolated massif, and contains at least two range restricted endemic species of bird,

Lompobattang Flycatcher and Black-ringed White-eye; as well as many locally range restricted

endemic forms of Sulawesi’s montane avifauna, one of which at least, Red-eared Fruit Dove, has

been given specific status by Birdlife International. The more wide ranging southern subspecies of

the lowland Green-backed Kingfisher has also been given specific status by Birdlife International.

The lower slopes of Mount Lompobattang have been deforested and are now under cultivation or

secondary/non-native forestry. Natural forest, part logged and with some hunting is present over

1000m at its lowest point, but with encroachment up to at least 1600m. The peak rises to 2871m

providing lower and upper montane habitats, some of which have also been subject to historical fire

events.

Logistics

To get on to Mount Lompobattang a good starting location is the hillside village of Malino. This can

be accessed via Makassar (Ujung Padang) through either public transport (buses and shared taxis go

from the southern bus station Terminal Sungguminasa) or via private taxi. We used both options

there and back, paying IDR350,000 for a private taxi out (because of an evening arrival), and

IDR50,000 for a shared taxi/Pete-pete back to Makassar (which we arranged from the cafe by Hotel

Pasanggrahan). In Makassar there are Pete-petes/bemos that run through the city to all bus terminals

and central district, which are much cheaper than private taxis.

In Malino there are a few hotel options, the most obvious being the Celebes Garden Hotel. If hotels

seem too expensive ask around for homestay options (we paid IDR200,000 for a room).

Mountain access: Information is given on Birding Indonesia website for one access point into forest,

which we didn’t try. A second is given in the Jacob’s trip report from information given by Marc

Thibault, and this is the site we visited. It is close to the access point from the housing roads to a side

track to a small waterfall, sign posted ‘Air Terjun’, so if you can find your way to this point the main

forest trail as described by the Jacob’s is a couple of hundred metres further on. We walked from the

Celebes Garden Hotel one morning taking c2.5hrs to get to the trail, with some open country birding

en-route. Ojeks were also used by flagging down passing traffic or asking at local shops, paying a

small fee to the drivers.

We explored this area on two mornings and one afternoon, including visiting the waterfall, and

smaller trails further into the mountain from the described trail. The mapping below shows some of

the locations we visited. On the main trail previous trip reports refer to two large trees adjacent to

each other. One of these trees has now part collapsed. Not much higher up from this location is a

slightly wider part of the trail, which has been used as a camping area, and a small side trail is present

heading north (left if heading up the trail).

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Another ridge trail is present south of the main river (the second bridge crossing from the main ‘road’

(a dirt track by this point)). We couldn’t find a decent access point for this trail, although it probably

warrants some further investigations as it leads through some good forest. It was accessed by a very

narrow trail along an irrigation channel past the second bridge, before the road goes up around a

bend. This trail heads to the forest, with a minor waterfall. An even narrower hunting trail leads

around the waterfall and up the steep slope, eventually coming out on the much nicer, wide ridge

trail. This involves some scrambling. The northern end of the ridge trail comes out at the main river

around some cultivated areas, but we could only find our way down to the ‘main road’ via the river

itself (which was easy to jump along). We did not head far along the ridge trail in the direction up

hill.

Highlights

The highlights included the following:

Lompobattang Flycatcher – Seen on the main trail. Only heard singing just pre-dawn at the very

start of the forest on the trail, with a bird seen briefly in a small bird wave. A pair were also seen

later on the side trail from the main trail. These were not singing, and were taped in.

Black-ringed White-eye – A relatively common species once in the forest

Malia – The largest bird wave noted over the two mornings was an impressive flock of probably

over 100 birds, mostly containing Sulawesi Leaf Warbler, but with Sulphur-bellied Whistler,

Citrine Canary-flycatcher, Black-ringed White-eye, and which included four Malia, moving

through the understorey/mid canopy and gleaning off moss covered tree trunks. The subspecies in

southern Sulawesi are the yellowest, and are certainly much yellower than those noted later in Lore

Lindu, with rufous much more restricted to the wings. This was from the camping area.

Sulawesi Thrush – The forest was very dry during our visit and any ground activity could be picked

up from leaf rustling. We picked up a party of Sulawesi Thrushes on two occasions above the

camping area of the main trail, although they were very shy and only relatively brief views were

obtained. They also called, particularly towards dusk.

Blue-faced Parrotfinch – a pair moving through the canopy in a large bird wave, which included the

Malia as described above. The distribution notes for this species in HBW Alive do not include

southern Sulawesi.

Spot-tailed Goshawk – A couple of birds calling to each other from the main trail, one seen high

canopy from the side trail past the camping area. A roosting bird was also spot-lit from the main trail

one evening.

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Other species noted included: Piping Crow (heard only from main trail), Chestnut-backed Bush

Warbler, Golden-mantled Racquet-tail, Sulawesi Serpent Eagle, Sulawesi Myzomela, Scaly-

headed White-eye, Rusty-bellied Fantail, and outside forest: Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker

Black Eagle, Little Pied Flycatcher, Island Verditer Flycatcher, Lemon-bellied White-eye.

Other interest – The dry conditions proved very useful in picking up terrestrial mammals including a

party of Sulawesi Warty Pigs, unidentified Deer sp. (presumably Rusa Deer), and the numerous and

vocal Sulawesi Dwarf Squirrels. Whilst resting on a log and hidden by the two large trees on the

trail a pair of all black and stocky ‘wild’ dogs came down the trail and surprised both themselves and

us as they shot away on seeing us, literally 2m from our position. I only heard them as they rounded

the trees.

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Map 2: Google Directions to start of Trail (B) from main road outside Celebes Garden Hotel (A) using Jalan H Ganyu

Waterfall access

Start of main forest

trail

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Map 3: Aerial of the northern arm of Mt Lompobattang

N

Access trail to waterfall

Start point of main trail as

described in the Jabob’s

report, just past small bridge.

Est. location of two large trees

‘Camping area’ with small side trail

(Malia, Blue-faced Parrotfinch)

Side trail with Lompobattang Fly

and Spot Tailed Goshawk

Sulawesi Thrush

Smaller trail past the second bridge following an irrigation

channel leading to a small stream in the forest.

Past small waterfall the trail becomes steep and

narrower, climbing to ridge where a good size trail heads

up hill.

This ridge trail disappears near the river valley at its

northern end. Heading up hill it is worthy of further

exploration, and continues along some decent forest.

Main roads/track shown white

Housing

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(2) Lore Lindu

Introduction

Perhaps the best known birding site on Sulawesi for numbers of endemics, with the majority of

birding focused on hill forest and montane habitats.

Logistics

We flew into Palu and from here we made our way to the bus station Terminal Petobo. This station

is situated on the south east edge of town and has buses and shared taxis heading south into Lore

Lindu NP and beyond. We got into a shared taxi charging us IDR60,000 per person. We reached

Wuasa after dark and were dropped off at Sendy Guest House, which was our base for most of the

next week. A twin room and breakfast was IDR250,000 per night. For returning to Palu we arranged

another shared taxi from the mechanics/cafe by the T junction in Wuasa. Food was mostly at the cafe

rather than Sendy as it is quite a bit cheaper. There is also a ‘deli’ next door to Sendys, and she

looked after us too, with snacks and tomatoes/fruit etc.

The main birding locations, the Anaso Track, Tambing Lake and forest road through Lore Lindu are

all about 45mins drive from Sendy, through Sedoa and then up a steep potholed road to the pass (see

map below). If you arrange your transport through Mamma Sendy the prices during our visit were

IDR250,000 per person for an Ojek and IDR500,000 for a car (both return). We decided to hitch,

which meant losing out on pre-dawn at the montane birding opportunities, but it was straightforward

and we were usually up around Lake Tambing area before 07:00. That said, it should also be noted

that when TS visited six weeks later, it was well into the rainy season and the road was in an appalling

state. Traffic flowing both directions was frequently halted for two hours or more, which would have

made hitching a risky gamble.

One night we camped high on the Anaso track, and left most of our gear at Sendy’s for no charge (as

we were coming back to stay again).

The Anaso logging track is well described in other birding reports and the text below uses the same

general descriptions of clearings and landslides. Not all clearings are given note in previous reports,

just the larger ones. During Ascent: Before the obvious ‘Helipad clearing’ (with a sign) and

between it and the ‘Pond clearing’ (obvious pond on east side at S1° 18.302' E120° 18.553') there are

a couple of smaller clearings. The second clearing is given as the large one past the pond clearing in

Yann Muzika’s trip report, but this is described as the third clearing in the Jacob’s report. Ive called it

the ‘Large Upper clearing’, with the smaller clearings un-named, including a few more above. Past

the upper clearing are sections of cliff that are described as good for eg Diabolical Nightjars. After

this are a series of numbered markers to the summit. Not all these markers are obvious. The

tarpaulin at the helipad clearing as mentioned by Yann Muzika has been removed. When referring to

the summit, this is of the actual Anaso track pass, which is known as Puncak Dingin ‘the cold

summit’, and not the mountain.

Around Wuasa we birded locations we could get to on foot, as the forest here is at a lower altitude

and contained a different mix of birds. The two hills on the northern edge of the village are forested

(marked Hill Forest on Map below) and the main road through them was walked on two dawns

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(whilst awaiting a hitch). A section of hill forest to the west of Wuasa from Sendy was also visited, in

this forest we found a trail we dubbed the Pipeline Trail as it was an overgrown vehicular access

through the forest to a large irrigation pipe along a stream/river.

To get to the Pipeline Trail and forest section we walked south out of Sendy on the main road, taking

the first decent right hand track, which is along an irrigation channel at S1° 24.672' E120° 18.719'.

We followed this track eventually crossing over a small bridge (for a side channel), losing the

irrigation channel on your left for a while, then when you come to a fork, you can head either way to

get to the forest. The easiest way is to take the right hand track through farmland to the forest edge.

It enters the forest and at a T junction with an overgrown vehicle track (S1° 24.489' E120° 17.953')

you can either head left first crossing a small river then heading towards a larger river where a blue

pipeline crosses (we walked along the pipe to cross the river and the track narrows after another river

crossing and weir at S1° 25.057' E120° 17.290'); or head right that leads to a small stream with a blue

pipeline crossing. Past this the forest is part cleared. Following this either way gives about 2km of

forest birding in total.

If you backtrack out of the forest and take the left junction instead of right you cross over the

irrigation channel again twice and then come to a burnt/felled area with a Finch-billed Myna nesting

tree (S1° 24.553' E120° 17.961'). Past here are smaller trails following the edge of the forest and

irrigation channel, and a trail through Coffee plantation lead you to the forest as described above.

This forest edge was being eaten into during visits so access may change over time.

Highlights:

Geomalia – Bumped into a foraging bird along the Anaso Track on the first evening whilst

descending the track from the summit area. This was a section of track below the pond clearing, and

above an un-named clearing. There is a winding section of track with a small dip just uphill from the

un-named clearing (the first real downhill section of the Anaso Track when heading up it) and a

slightly damp area of forest past the clearing. A single bird was seen on two nights from this stakeout

(S1° 18.383' E120° 18.583'). We stood above the dip heading toward the pond clearing where you

can see a decent section of track. Also present here were a pair of Island Thrush.

Hylocitrea (Olive-flanked Whistler) – Seen on a couple of occasions. The first was on the far side

of the track summit, about 0.5-1km further along in a mixed species flock, which also included

Pygmy Cuckooshrike with 3-4 birds present around a fruiting tree (S1° 16.752' E120° 18.887'). The

second sighting was also in a mixed species flock above the upper clearing and cliffs on the Anaso

Track, with Sulphur-bellied Whistler, Mountain Tailorbird, Sulawesi Leaf Warbler, etc. The

species has a trilling call not dissimilar to a Waxwing type.

Diabolical Nightjar – seen around upper clearing and cliff site clearing above the Pond clearing.

Also noted at dusk on a number of occasions along various parts of the Anaso Track (upper clearing

and below Helipad clearing).

Purple-bearded Bee-eater – The regular pair at the second landslide were feeding young in the nest.

Other birds were seen either side of the summit of the Anaso Track, with a pair noted by a forest

clearing 1km or so past the summit (S1° 16.683' E120° 19.133'). A pair was present along the main

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road through the park to Wuasa, just before the open clearing area along the steep descent. A single

bird was also noted along the Pipeline Trail in the hill forest around Wuasa. By 16 December 2014,

when TS visited Lore Lindu the species was absent. Suspicion is that the birds move towards coastal

lowlands for the rainy season, post breeding season.

Owls – Sulawesi Masked Owl and Speckled Boobook were both seen on multiple occasions from

the farmland around Wuasa, particularly between the main Church and Sendy Guest House. The

Sulawesi Masked Owls were hunting the rice paddies/farmland either side of the T junction by the

church, and as these are wide open spaces it often proved hard to spotlight them from the road if they

were at the back of the farmland. On the last morning one was calling to a second bird from the top of

the Church. Locals suggest they occasionally roost in the Church. Cinnabar Boobook was calling

and taped in from c400m up the Anaso Track one evening whilst descending the trail. A single bird

was seen briefly, with a second bird calling further away considered likely to be part of a pair.

Speckled Boobook was also heard near the summit of the Anaso Track. Sulawesi Scops Owl was

seen on two evenings at the hill forest at the edge of the Pipeline Trail area, and is common here with

up to 5 birds noted at once from forest edge.

Pigeons & Doves – Red-eared and (Western) Superb Fruit Doves were seen from the higher

sections of the Anaso Track above the Upper clearing to the summit, and including past the summit

and up to 2km further along, where there is decent forest with large fruiting fig trees. Grey-headed

Imperial Pigeon was noted above the Upper clearing & cliffs. Sombre Pigeon was (slightly

frustratingly) flushed on a single occasion from sub-canopy right beside the Anaso Track, again

higher up the track, above the helipad. Black-naped Fruit Dove was common in the Pipeline Trail

area of the hill forests around Wuasa. Also present and seen from the hillside forest along the road

just to the north of Wuasa were White-bellied Imperial Pigeon.

Great Shortwing – This species was not heard singing at all in early November 2014. A single bird

was seen along the track 500m from the start of the Anaso Track, and taped in for brief views as it

circled us. Other sightings involved birds flying and dashing across the track whilst staking

Geomalia, and generally along the highest sections of the Anaso Track. TS had a singing bird at first

light from the road at the start of the Anaso Track in Dec 2014.

Malia & Sulawesi Thrush – Malia were commonly heard, but only seen 3-4 times. Sulawesi

Thrush was noted on two occasions, the first near the summit area of the Anaso Track, and the

second time above the pond with a flock of Malia. TS also had Sulawesi Thrush from the reliable

stakeout in the undergrowth within 100m of the ranger post in Dec 2014.

Maroon-backed Whistler – Seen on a couple of occasions. Once about 600m from the start of the

Anaso Track, the second 500m before the summit, both times in a small bird wave. Also heard on

either side of the summit deep in valleys.

Chestnut-backed Bush Warbler – Common by voice along the main road and Anaso Track. Seen a

few times, sometimes in mixed species flocks.

Blue-fronted Blue Flycatcher – Seen along the Anaso Track, from the entrance of the track and up

to the viewpoints 1km past the summit.

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Lesser & Greater Streaked Honeyeater – (Dark-eared & White-eared Myza) Both species

relatively common on the upper sections of the Anaso Track, with Greater being more obvious during

our visit.

Tawny-breasted Parrotfinch – excellent views at about 400m along the start of the Anaso Track, of

a bird foraging low down that flew into a low bush before flying into the canopy calling, with a

second calling but unseen. The tawny breast was green tinged and not as striking as many photos on

the internet.

Piping Crow – We were told by a ranger and later a local guide that they have moved out of the area

around Lake Tambing, and are more likely from the main road closer to the Headquarters. We did

however have a pair from the main road at the start of the Anaso Track on one date. In Dec 2014 TS

had several sightings, so they appear to have returned for the present.

Sulawesi Drongo – Seen along the Anaso Track in a number of locations.

Ivory-backed Woodswallow – Seen in the Hill Forest at the northern edge of Wuasa, heading

towards Sedoa. TS had a group of c10 also between Wuasa and Sedoa, feeding above the road.

Starlings – Flame-browed Starling and Finch-billed Myna were the only endemic starlings

recorded, but both were common.

Knobbed Hornbill – a pair seen in the Hill Forest immediately north of Wuasa village.

Additional Highlights and Notes from TS in Dec 2014:

Minahassa Masked Owl – Actively feeding in the area around the ranger post at night, and was seen

by a local guide in late Dec.

Rufous-throated Flycatcher – Seen along a discrete trail which leads from the rear of the ranger post

to the observation tower overlooking Lake Tambing.

Sulawesi Streaked Flycatcher – One on a wooded hairpin bend 3-4km back down the hill towards

Sedoa from the Lake Tambing ranger post.

Cerulean Cuckooshrike – Took four days to see, but then several seen in typical spots, but also

including the Pipeline Trail.

Purple-winged Roller – A bird seen from the Second landslide on the Anaso Track, which was well

above known altitude range. This was considered to presumably be a bird repositioning from

breeding to wintering grounds.

16

Other species recorded included – Sulawesi Serpent Eagle, Spotted Kestrel, Blue Quail, Barred

Rail, Slender-billed Cuckoo-dove, Golden-mantled Racquet-tail, Maroon-rumped Hanging-

parrot (Pipeline Trail), Black-billed Koel, Great-eared Nightjar, Sulawesi Woodpecker (Pipeline

Trail), Pied Cuckooshrike (Pipeline Trail), Sulawesi Cicadabird, Snowy-browed Flycatcher,

Island Verditer Flycatcher, Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, Citrine Canary Flycatcher, Rusty-bellied

Fantail, Pale-blue (Black-naped) Monarch, Sulawesi Babbler, Golden-bellied Gerygone, Yellow-

sided Flowerpecker, Grey-sided Flowerpecker, Lemon-bellied White-eye, Black-crowned

White-eye, Sulawesi Myzomela, Black-naped Oriole & Grey-streaked Flycatcher.

Other interest - Tonkean Macaque - a troupe noted from the road north of Wuasa in the hill forest.

Sulawesi Dwarf Squirrel and what was considered to be Mt. Topapu Squirrel were also noted.

One possible sighting of one of the Long-nosed Squirrels near the summit of the Anaso Track, and

various rodents running across the Anaso Track.

17

Map 4: Aerial of Lore Lindu

Anaso Track

Lake Tambing

Police Checkpoint

Sedoa

Wuasa

Sendy Guest House

Hill Forest

Pipeline Trail area

Hill Forest

Roadside birding along pass

N

Church

District boundary

18

Map 5: Aerial of Anaso Track

Track Summit

Large Upper Clearing

Pond Clearing

Helipad Clearing

Lower Section with two

obvious landslides

Clearing after summit

Cliffs

Un-named smaller clearings are present here.

The lowest (after 2nd landslide and before

helipad) probably refers to 1st clearing in the

Jacobs report, as it is relatively large.

Rangers Hut

N

Main Road

Start

Lake Tambing

19

Map 6: Wuasa Pipeline Trail – Estimated as Aerial mapping is not clear.

River crossings. The trail continues along river after

second crossing where weir system is present, but is

much narrower and neglected after this.

Pipeline trail

Stream crossing

V. small stream crossing with blue pipe

Main Road

Sendy Guest House

Irrigation channel

Main River

Large burnt and cleared

area with surviving Finch

billed Myna tree

Bank

Non metalled dirt track to forest

N

Farmland good

for Owls Farmland good

for Owls

?

20

(3a) Gunung Ambang

Introduction

Another montane site on the northern arm of Sulawesi with montane endemics, including the localised

Matinan Flycatcher as well as northern forms of other montane birds found further south in Lore

Lindu (Cinnabar Boobook, Scaly-breasted Kingfisher, Malia, Great Shortwing etc).

Gunung Ambang is not within Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park. The site is being logged and

converted to agriculture in the ‘Sinsingon valley’ on the south side of the mountains, with forest

present only on the tops of the hills. Even here the larger trees are being removed. Despite this at

present the main species were still mostly recorded.

Logistics

The starting point is from the town of Kotamabagu. We got to Kotamabagu on a bus from Manado,

leaving from bus station Terminal Malalayang, on the southern edge of the city. The bus cost

IDR30,000 per person. In Kotamabagu we got in a shared taxi to Sinsingon from around the bus

terminal in the centre of town for IDR75,000 per person. Sinsingon is the closest village to Gunung

Ambang, which is about 45mins walk through agricultural land to the forest edge.

In the village we stayed in the homestay of Pac Julius (N0° 48.190' E124° 24.266'), who is also a local

guide who will show you the trails and the best spots for the key birds. The homestay charged

IDR125,000 full board per person per day. Pac Julius charges IDR100,000 per trip per person into the

forest. There are a lot of trails once you are in the forest, mostly grooves cut into the clay from

extraction of the largest trees higher on the mountain. These aren’t marked on the map below.

A word of caution with this homestay, some money went missing from one of our bags here, whilst

we were out in the forest, and it was without a doubt taken from the room of the homestay (which

isn’t lockable). We were the only people staying (there is only one guest room as it is really just their

house). I therefore would hesitate to recommend using the homestay services of Pac Julius, but at

present the only other option is to stay in Kotamabagu, which is about 1.5hrs drive away.

Highlights:

Matinan Flycatcher – Common once inside the forest proper. An area with a marshy clearing

(marshy plateau area) that Julius can take you to was the most productive area. This is marked on the

Birding Indonesia website as ‘good forest’ in the KML file. We recorded our first Matinan Flycatcher

at N0° 46.535' E124° 23.508', which is a little before the marshy area.

Cinnabar Boobook – Heard with up to five birds calling, but on the first evening heavy rain stopped

further searching. The Matinan Fly spot referenced above was probably a better place to try for them

as it’s a little less steep, but they were also calling near the edge of the forest.

(Scaly-breasted Kingfisher) – We didn’t see or hear this bird, and were late into the forest the only

morning we had thanks to Julius’s reluctance to set off early enough to be there at first light. A

location to try are the gullys a short way into the forest (eg N0° 46.734' E124° 23.970').

21

Malia – the last of the three forms for us showed very well around the marshy plateau area within the

forest. This form was noted as giving a different call to those we heard at Lore Lindu.

Sulawesi Masked Owl & Speckled Boobook – Seen in open country. A pair of Sulawesi Masked

Owls were calling around the Clove Orchards at night with one seen very well, the Speckled Boobook

was seen well along the forest edge.

Isabelline Bush Hen – Seen briefly on a couple of occasions in open farmland leading to the forest.

Spotted Harrier – A single bird seen quartering the open farmland outside the forest.

Other birds included: Scaly-headed White-eye, Black-crowned White-eye, Yellow-billed

Malkoha, Sulawesi Serpent Eagle, Barred (Sulawesi) Honey Buzzard, Black Eagle, Sulawesi

Leaf Warbler, Yellow & Green (Mustard-capped) Lorikeet, Great-eared Nightjar, Sulawesi

Blue Flycatcher, Citrine Canary Flycatcher, and Chestnut-backed Bush Warbler

Other interest: Sulawesi Dwarf Squirrel

22

Map 7: Overview map of Gunung Ambang Northern Access

Sinsingon

Pac Julius

Farmland tracks

access (dirt tracks)

Best forest entrance

Scaly Kingfisher

Gullys

Marshy plateau area

Clove Orchards

N

Main road

23

(3b) Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park

Introduction

This large national park has three regular birding locations, of which we visited two, Tambun and

Torout. These were both lowland rainforest sites, with Tambun situated in an area of high geothermal

activity where the Maleo comes down to its traditional nesting grounds. Torout is situated along a

river that requires a short crossing on a raft, to a ribbon of part disturbed rainforest along the river.

This arm of forest along the river heads north into the hills where the national park is presumably

(hopefully!) less disturbed.

Logistics

We decided to stay at the closest point to the birding sites in both locations. Taking private transport

(taxis and Ojeks) from Kotamabagu (where we were dropped off by the shared Taxi from Sinsingon)

and between the sites – which are just under an hours drive from each other.

The accommodation at Tambun was a brand new National Park building with three single rooms and

a communal area, right next to the entrance to the site. We were the second guests to stay there. The

facilities hadn’t been fully completed (no washing facilities). At Torout we stayed in the NP

accommodation (formally called Wallacea), taking a twin room. The accommodation charges were

IDR100,000 per room per night. Full board was an extra IDR100,000 at Tambun, and IDR75,000 at

Torout (both per person per day).

For both sites guides are required. At Tambun, you can use either Max or his son, and at Torout, Max

phoned ahead and Jamie Levy the NP ranger was awaiting us. In the village of Tambun (about

10mins drive from the national park entrance) Max seems to go by the name of James as well, which

caused a bit of confusion. However, by mentioning Maleo, we were shown to Max’s home, where he

organised for us to be taken by Ojek to the new accommodation. Both guides charged IDR150,000

per person.

Highlights Tambun:

Maleo – A pair at the nesting grounds early morning with Max. They were also calling to each other

and came down to inspect the nesting area. As seems to be the custom for visiting tourists we were

also shown the nesting project later in the morning and allowed to release some recent hatchlings

from the caged hatching area.

Maroon-chinned (Oberholser’s) Fruit Dove – A single bird came down to a fruiting fig on the

northern edge of the forest. A second sighting was made near the entrance of the park mid-morning.

Sulawesi Hawk Eagle – A pair with a young bird were seen from the road outside of the reserve mid-

morning.

Green-backed Kingfisher – A bird calling at dawn was taped in and showed very well.

Sulawesi Nightjar – Heard pre-dawn at the Maleo nesting grounds, but not seen.

24

Purple-winged Roller – A pair seen briefly from the veranda of the new accommodation, flying into

the forest.

(Minahassa Masked Owl) – Not seen or heard, but we were told by Max that the quarry just down

the road occasionally has roosting Minahassa Masked Owls.

Other birds included: Sulawesi Serpent Eagle, Sulawesi Goshawk, Ashy Woodpecker, Slender-

billed Cuckoo Dove, Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon, Black-naped Fruit Dove, Green Imperial

Pigeon, Rusty-breasted (Brush) Cuckoo, Black-billed Koel, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Bay Coucal,

Great-eared Nightjar, Pale Blue (Black-naped) Monarch, Sulawesi Babbler, Finch-billed Myna,

Other interest: A terrestrial orchid thought to be Nervilia aragoana flowering around a dead tree was

noted near the Maleo nesting grounds.

Highlights Torout:

Parrots – Blue-backed Parrot, Maroon-rumped Hanging Parrot and Ornate Lorikeet were seen

whilst scanning forest canopy from outside the forest.

Red-bellied (Celebes/Sulawesi) Pitta – A bird flushed off the trail at the entrance to where the hill

trail starts, just past a small stream crossing at N0° 33.871' E123° 53.971'.

Sulawesi Tarictic Hornbill – A pair in the riverine forest close to Pitta location.

Barred (Sulawesi) Honey Buzzard – A young bird inside the forest.

Green-backed & Lilac-cheeked Kingfisher – Both species heard calling at dawn

Knobbed Hornbill – Common around the forest.

Isabelline Bush Hen – Seen on edge of forest

Spotted Harrier – A bird seen at dawn on both mornings hunting over the farmland by the lake near

the accommodation, with the bird carrying prey into the forest canopy on the second morning.

Owls – The Speckled Boobook roost in the abandoned building is still present, and we were shown

this by the ranger one afternoon. Also heard were Ochre-bellied Boobook from the forest pre-dawn,

which unfortunately we couldn’t get to due to being rained off. Sulawesi Masked Owl and Sulawesi

Scops Owl were present around the accommodation, the former being seen pre-dawn the first

morning.

Other birds included: Spotted Kestrel, Slender-billed Cuckoo Dove, Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon,

Green Imperial Pigeon, Rusty-breasted (Brush) Cuckoo, Black-billed Koel, Yellow-billed

Malkoha, Bay Coucal, Great-eared Nightjar, Pale Blue (Black-naped) Monarch, Sulawesi

Babbler, Finch-billed Myna,

25

Other interest: Our first Tarsiers of the trip were two pairs around the accommodation buildings. The

ones by the raft on the river were seen both dawns we were there. It is presumed these are Spectral

Tarsier on range. A pale/white forest rat was also seen at this location one dusk.

(4) Gunung Mahawu

Introduction

Logistics

We birded this site from our base in Manado, by getting a taxi at 3:30am, which takes about an hour

at that time in the morning. A taxi rank is present outside the Travello Hotel on Jalan Sudirman,

which was a 5min walk from our more basic hotel, the Hotel Rex. The taxi we bargained to

IDR150,000 for a single to Gunung Mahawu. Coming back there is a bus station in central Tomohon

with regular buses to Manado (about every 30mins during the day for IDR7000 per person). This

takes you to a terminal on the southern outskirts where a blue bemo will get you back to central

Manado (for IDR3000 per person).

Highlights:

Scaly-breasted Kingfisher – This is the main target at this site, we failed to see or hear it on our first

visit at dawn, but we didn’t end up at the stakeout mentioned in the Jacob’s report on the first bit of

forest on the access road, and ended up trying further up in the main bit of forest. Later on I GPS’d

the stakeout mentioned in the Jacob’s report as N1° 20.498' E124° 52.249' (from road). We tried

another time at dusk after TS had seen it (prior to meeting up with us) going to roost in one of the tall

palms near the road. It called but was not seen by myself on the second attempt, with the heavy rain

not helping. A third attempt at the end of the trip was also called off due to torrential rain.

(Metallic Pigeon) – Not seen by ourselves, but a couple of birders we met on Halmahera had seen

one half way round the ridge trail that goes around the volcano crater.

Oriental Hobby – Seen by TS hunting inside the main crater at the summit

Other birds included: Scarlet-crowned Flowerpecker, Oriental Mountain White-eye, Black-

crowned White-eye, Sulawesi Myzomela, Isabelline Bush Hen, Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher,

Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Slender-billed Cuckoo-dove.

Other interest: The views from the volcano crater at dawn are worth a look if time and clouds permit.

26

(5a) Ternate

Introduction

This town is not quite the heart of the Spice Islands as it once was. Nevertheless it was interesting to

be in the location that Alfred Russel Wallace had used as his base to tour around the Moluccas and

New Guinea. The volcano itself is impressive, and both Ternate and Tidore dominate the local

landscape, especially from nearby Sidangoli.

Logistics

We stayed one night on Ternate. There are a number of hotels behind the main street where the

harbour to get the boat to Sidangoli is. These are a five minute walk from the habour on Jalan

Pahlawan Revolusi. We stayed at the forgettable Hotel Nirwana with a triple bed room for

IDR245,000. The bus station is further north between this road and the coast road (north of the large

mall with the Pizza place). nb. There is wifi in the mall from the donut café.

With a couple of hours free in the morning before our flight we got a blue bemo from the bus station

to take us to Lake (Danu) Tulire, which is past the airport. As this is a popular recreation site for

locals it is well known to taxis etc.

Species Recorded:

Tricoloured (Red-throated) Little Grebe (the form occurring here tricolor has been split by some

eg IOC), Lesser Frigatebird, Rufous Night Heron, Dusky Scrubfowl, Moluccan & Uniform

Swiftlet, Grey-faced Buzzard, Brahminy Kite, Willie Wagtail, Moluccan Flycatcher, Shining

Flycatcher, Black Sunbird, Shining Starling, Blue Rock Thrush, Tree Sparrow.

(5b) Sidangoli

Introduction

The easiest birding location on Halmahera on account of its proximity to the main airport at Ternate,

easy access trails off the main road, and presence of most of the range restricted species.

Logistics

We birded KM12 on two mornings and one evening, and spent another morning walking the road

from KM12 to KM6. We didn’t enter the other obvious trail at KM10 where Anu (the well-known

local bird guide) lives. There is a graded road at about KM7.2 heading north, but it may just go to the

river. You can arrange transport through your accommodation, or by bartering with locals, or by

hitching (we tried all three). Accommodation wise we preferred the Sidangoli Indra, which although

a bit more ‘lived in’ was closer to town, and the owners were friendlier than the other hotel on the

main road. A single room here cost IDR88,000 per night. From the pier at Sidangoli you can arrange

an Ojek to the Indra, or it is a 5min walk. A decent cafe is present on the corner of the road the hotel

is on.

27

Highlights:

Wallace’s Standardwing – Seen at KM12 trail. From the road, after going through the second large

burnt & cleared forest area (where there is a hut) you take a slight right hand track through the

clearing to a decent track on the far forest edge. Here going left down a steep hill then on a small rise

(before another steep decent) were a number of fruiting trees where we saw our first bird of Paradise,

a female/imm. type. Backtracking to the edge of the cleared area, taking the track in the other

direction, by the edge of the forest another fruiting tree had three birds, including an iridescent green

chested male in full plumage, looking quite spectacular in the sun.

Ivory-breasted Pitta – Common by voice at KM12, and seen on one morning by the first burnt &

cleared area.

Red-bellied (Moluccan) Pitta – One in the valley to the west of the small rise where the first

Standardwing was recorded on the KM12 trail. We had to move off trail and down the gully to see

this bird (c50m). A second bird was seen in roadside scrub from the main road at KM7.2 just to the

Sidangoli side of the graded road heading north at N0° 55.008' E127° 33.126'.

Paradise Crow – A pair seen at dawn on the start of KM12 trail. This pair or another in the fruiting

trees on the slight rise in the large downhill section of the trail at KM12 gave good views later, where

we could pick out the slight crests above the eyes of the species. The impressive looking white-eyed

Long-billed Crow is also present and commoner than the BoP.

Sombre Kingfisher – A bird calling on the steep downhill section of KM12 past the Standardwing

fruiting trees was taped into view at the bottom of the slope.

Parrots – The only location we saw Chattering Lory was in the first burnt and cleared area at KM12

as a small group flew through early one morning. Also around KM12 were Eclectus Parrot, Red-

flanked Lorikeet, Red-cheeked Parrot and Moluccan Hanging-parrot. From the main road

between KM12 - 6 we had small numbers of all the above except Chattering Lory, and in addition

White Cockatoo, and Violet-necked Lory.

Pigeons & Doves – Both Spectacled and Chestnut-bellied Imperial Pigeons were heard and seen

around KM12 trail. All of the likely fruit doves were seen along this trail; Grey-headed, Blue-

capped, Scarlet-breasted and (Eastern) Superb Fruit Doves. Scarlet-breasted was heard in the

section of forest between the two cleared areas, and seen in the same fruiting trees as the second group

of Standardwings. Great Cuckoo-dove were heard only along the main road. Pink-necked Green

Pigeon and Pied Imperial Pigeon were seen in Sidangoli village.

Moustached Treeswift – The only location we saw this species was in the second cleared area at

KM12.

Nightbirds – Moluccan Scops Owl seen from the road at KM12, and Moluccan Owlet-nightjar

calling from the bottom of the KM12 pass towards Sidangoli

28

Other birds included: Blyth’s Hornbill, White-streaked Friarbird, Golden (Black-chinned)

Whistler, Slaty Monarch, Shining Flycatcher, Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler, Dusky Scrubfowl,

Rufous-tailed Bush Hen, Rufous-bellied Triller, (Halmahera) Golden Bulbul, Grey-streaked

Flycatcher, Cream-throated White-eye, Shining Starling, Goliath Coucal.

(6) Galela

Introduction

A warm volcanic beach site in northern Halmahera with mangroves and great views along the

coastline.

Logistics

We organised a car through the Sidangoli Indra hotel and agreed on a price of IDR750,000 for

roughly 24hr hire, to take us to Galela, and then from Galela to Daru the next morning. With an

excellent quiet road to the north, the drive only takes about 4 hours, so we arrived late afternoon and

asked around for the local guide who will show you the Scrubfowl beach – Gode. His house is in the

northern section of Galela. Where the main road takes a sharp left to start towards the large Galela

lake go straight on and continue into the second housing area after another left/right bend. Gode’s

house is on the right near N1° 50.656' E127° 50.163'. Having been pre-warned by one of his relatives

of our presence he arrived from his day job at the Cassava factory around 4.30pm and at dusk took us

to the beach with two assistants in a dugout canoe through the mangroves. The cost for the night

guiding was IDR350,000 per person, and we camped on the beach enjoying the warm volcanic sands,

starlit sky and volcanic scenery at dawn.

Highlights:

Moluccan Scrubfowl – Disappointingly we only got brief views of the Scrubfowl; once in the

spotlight as it immediately flushed, and at dawn we walked the beach flushing a couple of other birds

in the mangroves.

Common Paradise Kingfisher – A bird at dusk and dawn in plantation forest near to the village.

Beach Kingfisher – A single bird in the mangroves.

Other birds included: Large-tailed Nightjar on the nest, Cream-throated White-eye, White-

bellied Cuckooshrike, Moluccan Scops Owl, Eclectus Parrot.

29

(7) Foli

Introduction

This lowland site along a now abandoned logging trail into the hills has become one of the main

birding sites on Halmahera. Despite being relatively degraded and selectively logged, it contains the

majority of range restricted species, and as it is now fairly open, many of the larger birds are easier to

see. Forest reserves have been created. One is present in a valley around KM3 where there is a

Wallace’s Standardwing (meta?) lek. Another is present at KM17-19.

Logistics

We arrived at Foli across the bay from Daru, having paid a boatman 350,000 for the crossing for a

private charter. It is possible to travel more cheaply by waiting for a scheduled boat, and making the

crossing with the locals. We stayed at Pac Jeffri’s basic homestay, possibly the only option in the

village, and also ate there (single room = IDR100,000). You have to pay a ‘village fee’ for staying in

the area (IDR50,000), and are then free to wander along the logging track as you please. We birded

along the logging track to KM6, but spent most of the time around KM2-4, with the side trails shown

on the map below being productive.

Highlights:

Wallace’s Standardwing – From the lek 3 males and 1-2 females the dawn we visited (previous day

had 4 males). From the display area other Standardwings could be heard displaying further into the

forest. You can arrange a local to show you the lek location on the first visit, they charged

IDR100,000 per person. Paradise Crow was also seen from the start of the Lek trail on one occasion.

TS had a pair of Paradise Crow from bushes on the edges of the Quarry in Dec 2014.

Ivory-breasted Pitta – A bird(s) at the beginning of the Lek trail was seen on four separate

occasions, including spot-lit at night. Other calling birds were noted elsewhere.

Purple Dollarbird – Great views of a bird in flight over the start of the quarry trail in Oct 2014. Two

distant hawking birds also noted from the quarry area. By Dec 2014 TS reports that he failed to

record any birds in this location.

Moluccan Owlet-nightjar – In Oct 2014 this species was common by voice, especially around KM2

of the logging track, with five birds calling at once at this location one evening. One was spot-lit by

leaving the trail a few metres to get to the calling bird, which gave great views. By Dec 2014 TS

noted that this species was not calling.

Moluccan Hawk Owl – A pair were seen once and heard on another occasion at dusk and dawn

around KM3-4 of the logging trail. A second pair (or maybe the same) were also taped into view at

dusk along the lek trail one evening.

Barking Owl – A pair between KM3 and 4 were taped into view early dusk and showed well.

Little (Pygmy) Eagle – Brief but close views of a bird between KM2 & KM3

30

White-naped Monarch – A bird seen between KM5 & 6 on the morning we walked that far, leaving

early morning to be at KM4 by dawn.

Parrots – A good site for parrots with higher numbers of all species seen than at Sidangoli. Red-

cheeked, Great-billed, & Eclectus Parrots, as well as Red-flanked Lorikeet, Violet-necked Lory,

Moluccan Hanging-parrot and White Cockatoo (the latter at the start of the lek trail).

Pigeons & Doves – Both Spectacled and Chestnut-bellied Imperial Pigeons were heard around the

lek trail, with the latter seen well with Pied Imperial Pigeon. Three species of fruit dove were noted;

Grey-headed, Blue-capped, & Scarlet-breasted Fruit Doves. Scarlet-breasted was seen at the start

of the Lek trail.

Fire-breasted (Halmahera) Flowerpecker – Recorded between KM5 & KM6 with the White-

naped Monarch and Dusky Myzomela.

Goliath Coucal – Seen at start of Lek trail by shelter by us in Oct 2014 and TS in Dec 2014. We also

noted birds at the Homestay and at KM1 of the trail. This species was noted as widespread by voice

in Oct 2014.

Other birds included: Drab Whistler, Variable (Grey-throated) Goshawk, Dusky Scrubfowl,

Rufous-tailed Bush Hen, (Moluccan) Drongo Cuckoo, Large-tailed Nightjar, Blue & White

Kingfisher, Blyth’s Hornbill, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Halmahera Cuckooshrike, Common

Cicadabird, Rufous-bellied Triller, Slaty Monarch, Shining Flycatcher, Gray’s Grasshopper

Warbler, (Halmahera) Golden Bulbul, Cream-throated White-eye, Dusky Brown (Halmahera)

Oriole, White-streaked Friarbird, Long-billed Crow, Shining Starling.

Other interest: Excellent views of Ornate Cuscus along the Lek trail one evening.

31

Map 8: Foli Logging Track

6

5

4

3

2 1

Foli village

Pier for boat to Daru Coast road

to Subaim

Lek trail – starts

opposite shelter Trail to wooden shelter

Quarry trail

Pac Jeffri Homestay

Track start by work yard

First 6km+ of main trail are relatively

open with a wide logging track,

particularly KM1-2. Closed forest is

present on Lek trail. KM 3-4 had

some good patches of forest.

Smaller side trails are present but

weren’t explored.

Foli Logging Track

N

32

(8) Binagara area of Aketajawe Lolobata National Park

Introduction

A very brief visit to the edge of this national park, where Invisible Rail has been seen recently, with

the species nesting along a stretch of river adjacent to lowland forest. The lowland plains of the river

valley within this section of the national park have been largely converted to agriculture around the

Homestay, but intact forest occurs on surrounding limestone hills. The forest is given a good write up

in other trip reports, but we didn’t venture into it.

Logistics

We stayed one night on the way back to Sidangoli. We arrived via private taxi from Foli and again

left for Sidangoli via a taxi (both IDR750,000). Shared taxi’s between Sidangoli and Subaim

probably operate, which will pass by the entrance to the national park, which is in the village of

Binagara. Here a lift on an Ojek can be arranged for a small cost to drive along the muddy track to the

homestay at the edge of the forest – Pac Roji’s Homestay (N0° 44.145' E127° 48.264'). During our

visit Roji was not present, but we arranged to sleep on the floor of their home for IDR100,000 per

person. We organised an meal for IDR50,000 per person, but in the translation this got lost and ended

up having full board for this price. Even though we didn’t go into the forest we were charged the

National Park fee as the homestay is within the NP boundaries, which stretch to the main road. This

was organised by Roji’s family.

Highlights:

Gurney’s Eagle – A young bird being mobbed by a Blyth’s Hornbill over Roji’s Homestay

Kingfishers – A good site for kingfisher variety, with Common Paradise and Sombre calling from

the riverine forest, with the former seen well. Variable (Moluccan) Dwarf and Azure Kingfisher

were seen from the stream itself, and Blue & White Kingfisher recorded from farmland around

Roji’s homestay.

(Invisible Rail) – We didn’t hear or see this species, but were shown an old nest, surprisingly

suspended about 2m high in an understorey tree on the irrigation channel side of the river behind

Roji’s house. The rail is sometimes seen along the river directly behind Roji’s house up to the section

where there is a weir, which is near the old nest site. The far side of the river is a section of forest

with numerous indistinct trails where the birds also forage. Following the track past Roji’s house will

take you to the weir along the irrigation channel.

Other birds included: Blyth’s Hornbill, Variable (Grey-throated) Goshawk, Moluccan Starling

33

(9) Sangihe

Introduction

Sangihe is one part of an Endemic Bird Area that includes a number of species/forms of birds that

have the unfortunate distinction of being incredibly rare and threatened, with a number critically

endangered species on Sangihe itself: Cerulean Paradise Flycatcher, Sangihe Shrikethrush, and

Sangihe White-eye. The forms of Dwarf Kingfisher and Golden Bulbul that occur on Sangihe are

also most likely at the edge of extinction as well, the former not having been recorded for a number of

years, and the latter only rarely recorded.

We visited one site, Gunung Sahendaruman, an extinct volcano towards the southern end of the

island of Sangihe. The majority of Sangihe has been cleared of native vegetation and pockets remain

in few places, including on the remotest ledges, ridges and valleys of Sahendaruman, which may be

the last home to the native endangered forest wildlife of Sangihe. Even here the final sections of

forest are still it seems being actively eaten into for small scale farming and forestry operations. We

were also told that there is some hunting using mist nets on the ridges (for bats), and chemical

poisoning of the streams to catch fish; the wildlife that occurs here is certainly on the edge.

Logistics

To get to Sangihe we got on an overnight ferry from Manado harbour. These go six nights a week

(not Sunday) at present and we turned up on the afternoon and got a ticket for the evening sailing at

6pm. From our experience only VIP tickets are likely to sell out quickly. The boats go from the

southern section of the harbour off an east/west section of Jalan Piere Tendean. The ticket offices are

on the north side of the road before the harbour. A new flyover was being constructed over the

harbour linking the coast road section of Jalan Piere Tendean to the south with north of the river (see

map below).

The overnight ferry cost IDR170,000 for a standard bed (one of a double bunk on a cramped and very

hot open plan lower deck). On Sangihe we paid IDR300,000 for a private taxi from Tahuna to

Lelipang (near the coastal village of Tomako) where we were dropped off at Rainbow Loseman

Homestay. This homestay has two guest rooms with a double bed in each, so is fairly space limited.

Once here we asked the owner Fret Pangimangen whether his brother Welsey would guide us for the

next couple of days into the mountain.

Wesley seemed slightly reluctant at first, but agreed to guide us. It later transpired that his reluctance

was due, in his words, to it being “not a good time” for the mountain or visitors to it, on account of the

issues of ongoing loss of habitats and failure for any realistic protection of what remains (as briefly set

out in the introduction above). Wesley is certainly a passionate and knowledgeable guide to the

wildlife of Sahendaruman, and we would have struggled to get onto the right trails and into the right

area without him. The trails into the mountain are steep and incredibly slippy requiring some

negotiating to ensure you don’t end up hurting yourself or falling down a steep valley, especially

when it is raining. It takes most of your effort to just get around. His fees were IDR200,000 per

person per day (he wanted to put it up to IDR300,000 - so it may rise soon), with rooms being

IDR80,000 per night and meals IDR25,000 per person per meal. Fret will register with the police for

you if you stay at the Loseman.

34

On return to Manado we took the day ferry option (also six days a week), that boards around 08:00

and takes all day costing IDR210,000 for executive seating (with A/C).

Highlights:

Cerulean Paradise Flycatcher – At least three birds in the closest territory that Wesley led us to,

past the ridge with the ‘garden house’ and down the valley to a stream (see Map below). Great views

of the birds feeding alongside a Squirrel sp. (as mentioned in lit. as characteristic foraging behaviour).

The remote valley these birds were in was still being part cleared (understorey) with root crops

planted.

(Sangihe Shrikethrush) – On our second day three of us made a 3:30am start with Wesley guiding to

ascend the trail in the dark, arriving at the ridge garden house at dawn. Unfortunately it was a rainy

and windy day, although once in suitable habitat, using the saddle above the garden house, we did

have at least three hours of dry weather. Despite this we failed to see or even hear the Shrikethrush,

or the now less likely (Sangihe) Golden Bulbul or no-chance Sangihe White-eye. We descended

from the ridge on an even steeper trail back to the river, arriving at dusk, wet, muddy, tired, hungry

and without any new birds. That was a hard day. Wesley seems to think that the Shrikethrush

continues to decline, with numbers falling in the last five years in his experience, and foraging groups

(when seen) are getting smaller. He also mentioned that he hadn’t seen or heard the Golden Bulbul

for a while either.

Yellow-eyed Imperial Pigeon – Seen on both days in the forest, with singing birds around the ridge

garden house the most obvious location.

Sangihe Hanging-parrot – Mostly just heard, but a couple of brief views for some of us. They could

occur anywhere overflying the forest.

Elegant Sunbird – Relatively common in the forest.

Sangihe Scops Owl – Taped into view around Rainbow Loseman, the pair called twice then came in

quietly.

(Sangihe) Lilac-cheeked Kingfisher – A couple of sightings of this more strongly marked form of

Lilac Kingfisher, which has recently been given species status by Birdlife International. The first was

at the very start of the trail into the volcano, before the first river crossing. The second was after the

ridge garden house into the valley where the Paradise Flycatchers are present.

Hooded Pitta – Seen by JG on the day the rest of us went up to the ridge to look unsuccessfully for

the Sangihe Shrikethrush. This endemic form is said to be widespread in the forest and edges of the

village, and Jon had one by heading up hill from the Rainbow Losemen at the start of a trail from this

road.

Red-bellied Pitta - We did not try any sites for the Red-bellied (Sangihe) Pitta, which is considered

tricky on Sangihe. It is said to occur on Gunung Sahendaruman though. The day ferry on the way

35

back docked at two points on the Siau Island group, so there is opportunity to search for another form

of Red-bellied Pitta as well as the Scops Owl, but we didn’t.

Other birds included: Endemic forms of Yellow-sided and Grey-sided Flowerpecker, and Black-

naped Oriole.

Other interest: The Sangihe form of Tarsier appeared to be common in the forest with numerous

calling individuals, and a pair seen at dawn on the morning we tried for the Shrikethrush, just before

the ridge garden house in the forest. It was considered that Sangihe Dwarf and Rosenberg’s Squirrel

were possibly both seen (only based on differences in appearance between individuals sighted rather

than detailed id. features). A recently described mollusc and stick insect type invertebrate was shown

to us by Wesley on the ridge trail, both newly described to science and found by him, as well as a

young Vine Snake. This is the only location we had leeches on the entire trip.

The overnight Ferries to Sangihe & Talaud and the day ferry return from Sangihe allowed some sea

watching at dawn/dusk and on the day ferry. Mammal species seen included Indo-Pacific Bottle-

nosed Dolphin & Spinner Dolphin. Birds noted included Lesser Frigatebird, Brown & Red-

footed Booby, Streaked Shearwater, Bridled Tern, Whiskered Tern, Crested Tern and a white-

rumped Storm Petrel seen by JG considered to be Matsudaira’s Storm-petrel.

36

Map 9: Manado Harbour Area

1a

1b

2

3

4

1 = Harbours 2 = Ticket Offices 3 = Independent cash converters 4 = Large Supermarket 5 = New flyover

5

Jalan Piere

Tandean

37

Map 10: Overview Map of Gunung Sahendaruman

Rainbow Loseman

Cerulean Valley

Ridge ‘Garden House’

(A house in the forest with some

farming and clearance on a ridge

between two valleys)

‘Saddle’ with trail

‘Saddle’ with trail we took coming

down, more difficult route than

other mountain saddle!

Ridgetop trails for Sangihe Shrikethrush

Road bridges over River

Stream crossings on foot

Road to Tomako

N

38

(10) Talaud

Introduction

The Talaud archipelago is the other half of the Sangihe & Talaud Endemic Bird Area. The islands

have a different feel compared to Sangihe. They are less hilly, not volcanic, are further north and

have a drier climate. Natural forest on the largest island of Karakelang is not as severely threatened

as on Sangihe, although the ubiquitous chainsaw was certainly evident.

Endemic species include two recently discovered rails Talaud Rail and Talaud Bush Hen, both

difficult to observe; the enigma that is Talaud Kingfisher – a species closely related and very similar

to Collared Kingfisher, Red & Blue Lory; plus a host of endemic forms of other species, some

proposed to be elevated to species level, as well as a number of small island specialist species.

Logistics

As with Sangihe, we bought a ticket from the booths at the harbour, going to Melonguane on

Karakelang, Talaud. This time we opted for a VIP room on the upper deck that cost IDR500,500 per

person. These are either 2 or 4 beds per room with A/C, with the ferry boarding time about 4pm. We

arrived at Melonguane mid-morning and took a taxi from the port to the town of Beo for IDR200,000.

The ferry does stop at Beo, but takes about 2hrs longer than getting off in the south and driving up to

Beo!

The ferries to the Talaud islands are less frequent than Sangihe and during our visit operated on a

Mon-Wed-Fri, returning to Manado on Tues-Thurs-Sat (we had to be boarding the ferry by 11am at

Beo for the return – this time standard ticket costing IDR300,000). Flying into Melonguane from

Manado is also an option with flights operated by Lion Air (days not noted – check Tiket.com) and

also Express Air who operated on a Tues-Thurs-Sat during our visit.

We used the Maysan Hotel (N4° 13.565' E126° 47.449') in the centre of Beo (near the large church).

This charged us IDR200,000 for a twin per night with A/C, and again they took photocopies of our

passports to register with the local police. There are numerous small twin seated Ojeks to carry you

locally, and we birded sites to the south and north of Beo along the main road, paying IDR20,000 for

Ojek use per trip.

The sites we birded were those described on the Birding Indonesia website for around Beo and with

additional information from Mike Catsis. They included forest and cultivated habitat to the rear of the

Talaud Community College, the main road and forest trails upto 5km south of Beo, and rice paddies

north of Beo. These are shown on the map below.

The Community College is accessed from the main road south of town. From Beo if you head south

on the Melonguane road, you go over a large river bridge at the edge of town, then take a left turn

through two posts (with the bay on your right) and head along a road track with occasional houses to a

T junction where you go right and then follow the track bending up hill, and past some more

dwellings going up again to the large college buildings. You can walk around the back of the college

(if you are friendly to the locals), and then a trail heads to the woodland edge through some farmed

areas and into it, with various side trails, the first on to the right leads to a forest clearing with fish

ponds and a hut. eg N4° 12.479' E126° 47.858'

39

The road further south of town has been converted to plantation forest along its immediate edge, but

natural forest exists if you can find tracks heading east. We eventually tried a track in a disused

quarry (N4° 12.002' E126° 46.784'), which was overgrown but led down to a stream in forest, where a

trail crosses it a few times and ends up in another clearing with a dwelling. We didn’t go further than

this.

The road north of town passes large areas of open agricultural rice paddies etc, which were ok for

wetland birds, and eventually leads to the box bridge described on the Birding Indonesia website.

South of the bridge is a village, where tracks to the east may lead to forest on the ridge. North of the

bridge after a 100m or so on the right and by a hut, is a trail that runs through 100m of plantation to

forest edge, but we didn’t have time to enter the forest.

Highlights:

Talaud Kingfisher – We convinced ourselves that a bird in the forest by the fish ponds clearing at the

back of the Community College was probably this species, as it was less stocky, had a more compact

bill, etc. The differences are however incredibly slight, and even voice (it alarm called as it flew)

were not dissimilar to Collared Kingfisher in my mind.

Talaud Bush Hen – Noted calling in rough vegetation underneath the plantation adjacent to the

Community College at dawn. Brief views were had, as the bird responded to tape and came in

relatively quickly and quietly, but not by all of us. A frog that calls in the evenings and mornings

sounds quite similar to this species.

Red & Blue Lory – Brief fly overs in the sites south of Beo were noted. This species is unfortunately

frequent as a cage bird in Beo itself. Other parrots included Great-billed Parrot, Blue-naped Parrot

and Golden-mantled Racquet-tail all from the roadside and forest around the Community College.

Grey Imperial Pigeon – A few sightings around the Talaud Community College and the road south

of Beo.

Red-bellied (Talaud) Pitta – Frequent by voice, a bird was seen in forest from the quarry trail south

of Beo at N4° 11.881' E126° 46.929'. A second bird was seen in roadside scrub underneath a Palm

plantation a couple of KM south of Beo. This form of Red-bellied Pitta is smart looking, with a clean

red and blue body, lacking black and green on most other forms, and a black face with brown crown.

A possible Blue-winged Pitta was calling from forest edge at the rear of the Community College.

Rufous Paradise Flycatcher – Common in forest habitat south of Beo.

Other birds included: the endemic forms of Sulawesi Cicadabird, Grey-sided Flowerpecker, Black

Sunbird, Black-naped Oriole, Everett’s White-eye at the community college, Channel-billed

Cuckoo & Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler (main road), Pied Imperial Pigeon, Rufous-tailed Bush

Hen, Greater Painted Snipe, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Snipe sp., Black-winged Stilt, Pacific

Golden Plover in Rice paddies north of Beo and Grey-tailed Tattler on the river north of Beo.

40

Map 11: Beo area – No decent mapping exists so this has been drawn from memory using GPS points on Google Earth.

Talaud Community College:

Forest is present by walking

round the back of the college

and along track past

‘allotments’ onto the ridge.

Small track leading to forest thru old quarry – any

track into forest along the road is likely to be good.

Maysan Hotel

Beo Port

Rice Paddies River with box bridge as per

Birding Indonesia refs

Track goes toward forest here, past

bridge, where electricity lines cross

the road, but wasn’t explored

Church on crossroads

Village

Main road to Melonguane

Bridge over river south edge of Beo

41

(11) Tangkoko

Introduction

A well-known site, and probably the most popular National Park in Sulawesi thanks to Tarsiers and

Black Crested Macaques. For birders, probably best known for its endemic Kingfishers. It is a

relatively well protected site with forest from the sea to mountain top, with volcanos present within

the park boundaries.

Logistics

We got to Tangkoko via private taxi from Manado (IDR300,000) and stayed in Mama Roos

Guesthouse using Samuel, who is resident at the guesthouse, as our guide. He knew the stakeouts for

the main birds in the forest (Kingfishers, Owls, Pittas, Thrush, Nightjar etc). This is the most

expensive park we visited, with guiding and park fees for a day set at IDR400,000 per person.

However the day was from 4.30am-9pm with pre-dawn and post dusk owling if you wanted, so

Samuel certainly worked hard.

We birded along the road heading back to Manado, including getting a taxi to the 10km mark a couple

of days, where there is a short trail to forest view points. This was done without Samuel as it is

outside the National Park. We organised a vehicle through Mama Roos, which charged us

IDR200,000 for a return trip.

A boat trip to the mangroves was organised through Samuel and cost IDR350,000 per person.

The homestay rates were IDR150,000 per person a night for twin room full board

Highlights:

Kingfishers – Green-backed, Lilac-cheeked and Ruddy were all seen on more than one occasion,

around the main track. Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher was found within the forest at one of Samuel’s

stakeouts. Great-billed Kingfisher was seen in the rain in the mangroves from the boat trip. We

also saw Common and Collared Kingfishers.

Red-backed Thrush – Excellent views of probably two birds around the main track past the ticket

office on a number of occasions.

Red-bellied (Sulawesi/Celebes) Pitta – Two sightings within the forest, one calling from the main

track and located off track, and the second at one of Samuel’s stakeouts in the forest, which was of a

very approachable bird.

Owls & Nightjars – Ochre-bellied Boobook appeared relatively common by voice in the main forest

area, with a bird taped in on our first evening. No day roosting birds could be found. Minahassa

Masked Owl was heard on both evenings we went into the NP from a stakeout Samuel knows within

the forest. Sulawesi Scops Owl is common and was seen a couple of times. Sulawesi Nightjar was

seen in the usual clearing along the main track within the reserve, with Great-eared Nightjars also

frequent.

42

Pigeons & Doves – At KM10 we had White-bellied, Silver-tipped and Green Imperial Pigeon,

Black-naped Fruit Dove, Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon, Slender-billed and White-faced Cuckoo-

doves. Pied Imperial Pigeon was noted along the coast, including visiting the island roost after our

mangrove boat trip. Stephan’s Dove was recorded by some of us along the road heading upto KM10

in forest edge and scrubby farmland edge habitat.

Hornbills – Both species seen within the forest NP with Samuel, and also at KM10 watch point.

Purple-winged Roller – Seen at both KM10 over the forest canopy/forest edge, and along the main

access track into the reserve within enclosed forest.

Parrots – Blue-backed Parrot and Maroon-rumped Hanging Parrot were relatively common.

Ornate Lorikeet was seen from KM10 on a few occasions, as were both Racquet-tails. A female

Eclectus Parrot (!) was recorded from viewpoint at KM10 on one date. There were possible Green

Hanging Parrots, but no definite sightings as far as im aware.

Starlings – White-necked Myna and Finch-billed Myna were both seen regularly at KM10

viewpoint, and also in the forest. A Sulawesi Crested Myna was heard along the road at roughly

KM7, but could not be located.

Eye-browed Thrush – A probable was recorded from the view point at KM10 on the 07/12/2014. It

was scoped in a tree top briefly before flying towards us and out of sight. It is listed as a vagrant to

Sulawesi (eg Coates & Bishop, 1998).

Other birds included: Sulawesi Serpent Eagle, Sulawesi Hawk Eagle, Sulawesi Goshawk, Vinous-

breasted Sparrowhawk, Philippine Scrubfowl, Barred Buttonquail, Isabelline Bush Hen,

Barred Rail, Black-billed Koel, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Bay Coucal, Moluccan (Sulawesi)

Swiftlet, Grey-rumped Treeswift, Sulawesi & Ashy Woodpeckers, White-rumped & Pied

Cuckooshrikes, Sulawesi Cicadabird, White-rumped Triller, Grey-streaked Flycatcher, Pale-

blue (Black-naped) Monarch, Sulawesi Babbler, Golden-bellied Gerygone, Brown-throated,

Black and Olive-backed Sunbirds, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker, Black-crowned White-eye,

Black-naped Oriole.

Other interest: Excellent mammals here including four Tangkoko Tarsiers ‘mobbing’ a Wagler’s

type Pit Viper whilst owling on the first night, Bear & Dwarf Cuscus from the main track, and the

Black Crested Macaques. We also saw an unidentified large grey forest rat.

43

Endemic Range Restricted Species/Taxa in Sulawesi, Sangihe, Talaud and North Maluku

The table below is based on Birdlife International’s endemic bird areas that cover the areas visited.

Significant additions and amendments have been made as (1) the EBA’s on the website have not been

updated to include new species proposed by Birdlife, and (2) a large number of commoner endemics

are not included in the EBA descriptions. Range restricted species to Wallacea, the Lesser Sundas

and also New Guinea and the Philippines have again mostly been included, which were also targets

for the trip. No doubt with such a large number of species, forms, splits, and emerging taxonomy,

there is likely to be some room for improvement, so an excel file is posted here if people want to

update or use the list themselves.

Final Thoughts

Thanks to Shaun Coyle for inception of the trip and planning the itinerary, which worked very well;

and to Shaun, Jon and Tim for the adventure; and for reading a draft of this report and providing

corrections, comments and amendments to increase its usefulness.

GarethKnass

Berkshire, UK

44

Species (nomenclature follows BLI) Alternative Name/Alternative nomenclature Status Notes Trip Me

Sulawesi (Excluding Islands)

Maleo (Macrocephalon maleo) EN 1 1

Sulawesi Honey-buzzard (Pernis celebensis) Barred Honey-buzzard (P. steerei celebensis) LC 1 1

Sulawesi Serpent-eagle Spilornis rufipectus LC 1 1

Sulawesi Goshawk Accipiter griseiceps LC 1 1

Spot-tailed Goshawk Accipiter trinotatus LC 1 1

Dwarf Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nanus) Small Sparowhawk NT

Vinous-breasted Sparrowhawk Accipiter rhodogaster LC 1 1

Sulawesi Hawk-eagle Nisaetus lanceolatus LC 1 1

Spotted Kestrel (Falco moluccensis) LC Wide distribution in Indonesia 1 1

Barred Rail (Hypotaenidia torquata) LC Also Philippines and West Papua 1 1

Snoring Rail (Aramidopsis plateni) Platen's Rail VU

Blue-faced Rail (Gymnocrex rosenbergii) VU

Isabelline Bush-hen (Amaurornis isabellina) LC 1 1

Sulawesi Woodcock (Scolopax celebensis) NT

Slender-billed Cuckoo-dove (Macropygia amboinensis) Brown Cuckoo-dove (M. amboinensis agg.) LC also Moluccas, PNG 1 1

Dusky Cuckoo-dove Macropygia magna LC S. Sulawesi and Lesser Sundas

White-faced Cuckoo-dove (Turacoena manadensis) Sulawesi Black Pigeon LC 1 1

Stephan's Dove (Chalcophaps stephani) LC also PNG 1 M

45

Maroon Chinned Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus epius) Oberhosler's F-D; Maroon-chinned F-D (P. subgularis

epius)

LC 1 1

Red-eared Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus fischeri) LC 1 1

Lompobattang Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus meridionalis) Red-eared Fruit Dove (P. fischeri meridionalis) VU

Western Superb Fruit-dove Ptilinopus temminckii Superb Fruit-dove (P. superbus temminckii) LC 1 1

Sulawesi Ground-dove (Gallicolumba tristigmata) LC

White-bellied Imperial-pigeon (Ducula forsteni) LC 1 1

Grey-headed Imperial-pigeon (Ducula radiata) LC 1 1

Green Imperial-pigeon (Ducula aenea) Chestnut-naped Imperial Pigeon (D. aenea paulina) LC distinctive endemic form 1 1

White Imperial-pigeon (Ducula luctuosa) Silvery-tipped Imperial Pigeon LC 1 1

Sombre Pigeon (Cryptophaps poecilorrhoa) LC 1 1

Yellow-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea) CR Also Lesser Sundas

Ornate Lorikeet (Trichoglossus ornatus) LC 1 1

Mustard-capped Lorikeet (Trichoglossus meyeri) Yellow & Green Lorikeet (T. flavoviridis meyeri) LC 1 1

Sulawesi Hanging-parrot (Loriculus stigmatus) Maroon-rumped Hanging-parrot LC 1 1

Pygmy Hanging-parrot (Loriculus exilis) Green Hanging Parrot NT H H

Yellowish-breasted Racquet-tail (Prioniturus flavicans) NT 1 1

Golden-mantled Racquet-tail (Prioniturus platurus) LC Also Talaud/Sangihe 1 1

Blue-backed Parrot (Tanygnathus sumatranus) Azure-rumped Parrot LC Also Philippines and Sangihe/Talaud 1 1

Sulawesi Cuckoo (Cuculus crassirostris) Sulawesi Hawk Cuckoo LC

Eastern Koel (Eudynamys orientalis) Black-billed Koel (E. o. melanorhynchus) LC 1 1

46

Yellow-billed Malkoha (Rhamphococcyx calyorhynchus) LC 1 1

Bay Coucal (Centropus celebensis) LC 1 1

Minahassa Masked-owl (Tyto inexspectata) Unexpected Owl VU H H

Sulawesi Masked-owl (Tyto rosenbergii) LC 1 1

Sulawesi Scops-owl (Otus manadensis) LC 1 1

Ochre-bellied Boobook (Ninox ochracea) NT 1 1

Cinnabar Boobook (Ninox ios) VU Two populations may be distinct forms 1 1

Speckled Boobook (Ninox punctulata) LC 1 1

Heinrich's Nightjar (Eurostopodus diabolicus) Diabolical Nightjar; Satanic Nightjar VU 1 1

Sulawesi Nightjar (Caprimulgus celebensis) LC 1 1

Moluccan Swiftlet (Aerodramus infuscatus) Sulawesi Swiftlet (A sororum) LC Sometimes split geographically 1 1

Black-billed Kingfisher (Pelargopsis melanorhyncha) Great-billed Kingfisher; Sulawesi Stork-billed Kingfisher LC 1 1

Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx fallax) NT 1 1

Scaly-breasted Kingfisher (Actenoides princeps) Regent Kingfisher; Scaly Kingfisher (A. princeps agg.) VU fourth form recently found in Eastern Sulawesi 1 H

Plain-backed Kingfisher (Actenoides regalis) Scaly-breasted Kingfisher (A. princeps regalis) VU

Blue-headed Kingfisher (Actenoides monachus) Green-backed Kingfisher (A. monachus agg.) NT 1 1

Black-headed Kingfisher (Actenoides capucinus) Green-backed Kingfisher (A. monachus capucinus) NT

Sulawesi Lilac Kingfisher (Cittura cyanotis) Lilac-cheeked Kingfisher (C. cyanotis agg.) LC 1 1

Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) Colbalt-eared Kingfisher (A. a. hispidoides) LC distinctive local form inc. Moluccas, PNG 1 1

Purple-bearded Bee-eater (Meropogon forsteni) LC 1 1

47

Sulawesi Hornbill (Rhabdotorrhinus exarhatus) Sulawesi Tarictic Hornbill VU 1 1

Knobbed Hornbill (Rhyticeros cassidix) Red-knobbed Hornbill VU 1 1

Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker (Picoides temminckii) LC 1 1

Ashy Woodpecker (Mulleripicus fulvus) LC 1 1

Red-bellied Pitta (Pitta erythrogaster) Sulawesi/Celebes (Red-bellied) Pitta (P. (e.) celebensis) LC Sometimes split geographically 1 1

Cerulean Cuckooshrike (Coracina temminckii) LC

Pied Cuckooshrike (Coracina bicolor) NT 1 1

White-rumped Cuckooshrike Coracina leucopygia LC 1 1

Pygmy Cuckooshrike (Coracina abbotti) LC 1 1

Sulawesi Cicadabird Coracina morio LC 1 1

White-rumped Triller (Lalage leucopygialis) LC 1 1

Geomalia (Geomalia heinrichi) NT 1 1

Island Thrush (Turdus poliocephalus) Island Thrush (T. p. hygroscopus & T. p. celebensis) LC potential for split geographically over range 1 1

Red-backed Thrush (Zoothera erythronota) Red-backed Thrush (Z. erythronota agg.) NT 1 1

Sulawesi Thrush (Cataponera turdoides) LC 1 1

Great Shortwing (Heinrichia calligyna) LC potential for three way split of subspecies 1 1

Sulawesi Drongo (Dicrurus montanus) LC 1 1

Chestnut-backed Bush-warbler (Bradypterus castaneus) LC potential for split geographically over range 1 1

Sulawesi Leaf-warbler (Phylloscopus sarasinorum) LC 1 1

Rufous-throated Flycatcher (Ficedula rufigula) NT

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Lompobatang Flycatcher (Ficedula bonthaina) EN 1 1

Matinan Flycatcher (Cyornis sanfordi) Matinan Blue Flycatcher EN possibly a Jungle Flycatcher 1 1

Blue-fronted Flycatcher (Cyornis hoevelli) Blue-fronted Blue Flycatcher LC 1 1

Rusty-bellied Fantail (Rhipidura teysmanni) LC 1 1

Citrine Canary-flycatcher (Culicicapa helianthea) LC also present in the Philippines 1 1

Island Flycatcher (Eumyias panayensis) LC also present in the Philippines 1 1

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sulawesi Streaked Flycatcher; S. Brown Flycatcher ?

Sulawesi Blue-flycatcher (Cyornis omissus) Mangrove Blue-flycatcher (C. rufigastra omissus) LC 1 1

Black-naped Monarch (Hypothymis azurea) Pale Blue Monarch (H. (a.) puella) LC 1 1

Olive-flanked Whistler (Hylocitrea bonensis) Hylocitrea; Yellow-flanked Whistler LC 1 1

Maroon-backed Whistler (Coracornis raveni) LC 1 1

Sulphur-bellied Whistler (Pachycephala sulfuriventer) Yellow-bellied Whistler LC 1 1

Sulawesi Babbler (Trichastoma celebense) LC 1 1

Malia (Malia grata) LC 1 1

Golden-bellied Gerygone (Gerygone sulphurea) LC potential to be split into a number of species 1 1

Yellow-sided Flowerpecker (Dicaeum aureolimbatum) LC 1 1

Grey-sided Flowerpecker (Dicaeum celebicum) LC 1 1

Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker (Dicaeum nehrkorni) LC 1 1

Pale-bellied White-eye (Zosterops consobrinorum) Sulawesi White-eye LC SE Sulawesi only

Lemon-bellied White-eye (Zosterops chloris) LC 1 1

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Lemon-throated White-eye (Zosterops anomalus) Black-ringed White-eye LC 1 1

Black-crowned White-eye (Zosterops atrifrons) LC 1 1

Streaky-headed White-eye (Lophozosterops squamiceps) LC 1 1

Dark-eared Myza (Myza celebensis) Lesser-streaked Honeyeater LC 1 1

White-eared Myza (Myza sarasinorum) Greater-streaked Honeyeater LC 1 1

Sulawesi Myzomela (Myzomela chloroptera) LC 1 1

Sulawesi Drongo (Dicrurus montanus) LC 1 1

Ivory-backed Woodswallow (Artamus monachus) LC 1 1

Slender-billed Crow (Corvus enca) LC potential for split geographically over range 1 1

Piping Crow (Corvus typicus) LC 1 1

White-necked Myna (Streptocitta albicollis) LC 1 1

Fiery-browed Myna (Enodes erythrophris) LC 1 1

Sulawesi Myna (Basilornis celebensis) LC H H

Finch-billed Myna (Scissirostrum dubium) LC 1 1

Pale-bellied Myna (Acridotheres cinereus) LC

Pale-headed Munia (Lonchura pallida)

Mountain Serin (Serinus estherae) LC

North Maluku (focus on Halmahera)

Little Grebe Tachtbaptus ruficollis Tricoloured Grebe (Tachtbaptus ruficollis tricolor) LC also PNG 1 1

50

White Cockatoo (Cacatua alba) EN 1 1

Dusky Scrubfowl (Megapodius freycinet) LC 1 1

Moluccan Scrubfowl (Eulipoa wallacei) VU 1 1

Variable Goshawk Accipiter hiogaster Grey-throated Goshawk (A. hiogaster griseogularis) LC wider dist. 1 1

Rufous-necked Sparrowhawk (Accipiter erythrauchen) NT

Moluccan Goshawk (Accipiter henicogrammus) NT 1 1

Meyer's Goshawk Accipiter meyerianus LC also PNG

Gurney's Eagle Aquila gurneyi NT also PNG 1 1

Pygmy Eagle Hieraaetus weiskei Little Eagle (Aquila morphnoides weiskei) LC also PNG 1 1

Bare-eyed Rail (Gymnocrex plumbeiventris) LC also PNG

Drummer Rail (Habroptila wallacii) Invisible Rail VU

Moluccan Woodcock (Scolopax rochussenii) EN

Great Cuckoo-dove Reinwardtoena reinwardti LC also PNG H H

Cinnamon-bellied Imperial Pigeon (Ducula basilica) Cinnamon-bellied Imperial Pigeon (D. basilica agg) LC 1 1

Spectacled Imperial Pigeon (Ducula perspicillata) Halmahera Imperial Pigeon LC 1 1

Spice Imperial Pigeon (Ducula myristicivora) LC

Scarlet-breasted Fruit-dove (Megaloprepia formosa) LC 1 1

Blue-capped Fruit-dove (Ptilinopus monacha) NT 1 1

Grey-headed Fruit-dove (Ptilinopus hyogastrus) LC 1 1

Carunculated Fruit-dove (Ptilinopus granulifrons) VU

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White-bibbed Fruit-dove (Ptilinopus rivoli) LC also PNG

Pink-headed Imperial-pigeon (Ducula rosacea) NT

Red-flanked Lorikeet (Charmosyna placentis) LC also PNG 1 1

Red-cheeked Parrot (Geoffroyus geoffroyi) LC also Lesser Sundas and PNG 1 1

Moluccan Hanging-parrot (Loriculus amabilis) Moluccan Hanging-parrot (L. amabilis agg.) LC 1 1

Violet-necked Lory (Eos squamata) LC 1 1

Chattering Lory (Lorius garrulus) VU 1 1

Moluccan King-parrot (Alisterus amboinensis) LC also PNG

Moluccan Cuckoo (Cacomantis aeruginosus) NT

Goliath Coucal (Centropus goliath) LC 1 1

Moluccan Scops-owl (Otus magicus) LC also Lesser Sundas 1 1

Halmahera Boobook (Ninox hypogramma) Moluccan Hawk Owl (Ninox squamipila hypogramma) LC 1 1

Moluccan Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles crinifrons) LC 1 1

Moluccan Swiftlet (Aerodramus infuscatus) 'Halmahera' Swiftlet (A. infuscatus) LC 1 1

Moustached Treeswift (Hemiprocne mystacea) LC also PNG 1 1

Azure Dollarbird (Eurystomus azureus) Purple Dollarbird, Azure Roller NT 1 1

Common Paradise-kingfisher (Tanysiptera galatea) LC also Lesser Sundas and PNG 1 1

Blue-and-white Kingfisher (Todiramphus diops) LC 1 1

Beach Kingfisher (Todiramphus saurophagus) LC also PNG 1

Sombre Kingfisher (Todiramphus funebris) VU 1 1

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Moluccan Dwarf-kingfisher Ceyx lepidus Variable Dwarf Kingfisher (C. lepidus agg.) LC 1 M

Papuan Hornbill (Rhyticeros plicatus) Blyth's Hornbill LC 1 1

Ivory-breasted Pitta (Pitta maxima) LC 1 1

Red-bellied Pitta (Pitta erythrogaster) Moluccan (Red-bellied) Pitta LC sometimes split geographically 1 1

White-streaked Friarbird (Melitograis gilolensis) LC 1 1

Dusky Friarbird (Philemon fuscicapillus) VU Morotai

Olive Honeyeater (Lichmera argentauris) LC Small island specailist

Halmahera Cuckooshrike (Coracina parvula) LC 1 1

Moluccan Cuckooshrike (Coracina atriceps) LC

Pale Cicadabird (Coracina ceramensis) LC 1 1

Rufous-bellied Triller (Lalage aurea) LC 1 1

Golden Bulbul (Alophoixus affinis) Halmahera Golden Bulbul (A. chloris) LC potential for geographical split of this species. 1 1

Island Leaf-warbler (Phylloscopus poliocephalus) Halmahera Leaf-warbler (P. henrietta) ? potential for geographical split of this species.

Island Whistler (Pachycephala phaionota) LC Small island specialist

Golden Whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis) Black-chinned Whistler ( P. (p) mentalis) LC potential for geographical split of this species. 1

Drab Whistler (Pachycephala griseonota) LC 1 1

Dusky-brown Oriole (Oriolus phaeochromus) Halmahera Oriole LC 1 1

White-naped Monarch (Monarcha pileatus) LC 1 1

Dark-grey Flycatcher (Myiagra galeata) Moluccan Flycatcher; Slaty Monarch LC 1 1

Long-billed Crow (Corvus validus) NT 1 1

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Standardwing (Semioptera wallacii) Wallace's Standardwing Bird of Paradise NT 1 1

Paradise-crow (Lycocorax pyrrhopterus) LC 1 1

Moluccan Starling (Aplonis mysolensis) LC 1 1

Creamy-throated White-eye (Zosterops atriceps) LC 1 1

Flame-breasted Flowerpecker (Dicaeum erythrothorax) Halmahera Flowerpecker (D. (e.) schistaceiceps) LC potential split with Buru Flowerpecker 1 1

Sangihe & Talaud (excluding Siau)

Talaud Bush-hen (Amaurornis magnirostris) VU 1 H

Talaud Rail (Gymnocrex talaudensis) LC

Philippine Scrubfowl (Megapodius cumingii) Endemic ssp. sanghirensis Considered Endangered on Sangihe

Blue-tailed Imperial-pigeon (Ducula concinna) Yellow-eyed Imperial Pigeon; Elegant Imperial Pigeon LC 1 1

Grey Imperial-pigeon (Ducula pickeringii) Pickering's Imperial Pigeon VU 1 1

Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon (Treron griseicauda) Endemic ssp. sangirensis LC Sangihe & Talaud

Slender-billed Cuckoo-dove (Macropygia amboinensis) Endemic ssp. sanghirensis Sangihe & Talaud

Endangered on Sangihe

Black-naped Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus melanospila) Endemic ssp. xanthorrhoa Sangihe & Talaud - widespread 1 1

Golden-mantled Racquet-tail (Prioniturus platurus) Endemic ssp. talautensis Talaud 1 1

Red-and-blue Lory (Eos histrio) EN 1 H

Blue-backed Parrot (Tanygnathus sumatranus) Endemic ssp. sangirensis Sangihe & Talaud – CR on Sangihe 1

Blue-naped Parrot (Tanygnathus lucionensis) Endemic ssp. talautensis NT 1 1

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Sangihe Hanging-parrot (Loriculus catamene) NT 1 H

Sangihe Scops Owl (Otus collari) LC 1 1

Sangihe Lilac Kingfisher (Cittura sanghirensis) Lilac-cheeked Kingfisher (C. cyanotis sanghirensis) NR 1 1

Sangihe Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx sangirensis) Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher (C. fallax sangirensis) CR

Talaud Kingfisher (Todiramphus enigma) NT 1 1

Moluccan Swiftlet (Aerodramus infuscatus) 'Halmahera' Swiftlet (A. infuscatus) LC 1 1

Red-bellied Pitta Pitta erythrogaster Sangihe (Red-bellied) Pitta ? paper recommends Sangihe and Siau forms status =

EN

Red-bellied Pitta Pitta erythrogaster Talaud (Red-bellied) Pitta LC sometimes split geographically 1 1

Hooded Pitta (Pitta sordida) Hooded Pitta (P. s. sanghirana) LC distinctive endemic form 1

Island Monarch (Monarcha cinerascens) LC also Lesser Sundas, Moluccas and Pacific

Rufous Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone cinnamomea) Endemic ssp. talautensis LC also Philippines 1 1

Cerulean Paradise-flycatcher (Eutrichomyias rowleyi) CR 1 1

Sangihe Shrike-thrush (Colluricincla sanghirensis) CR

Sulawesi Cicadabird (Coracina morio) Cicadabird (C. m. salvadorii & C. m. talautensis) ? distinctive endemic forms 1

Asian Glossy Starling (Aplonis panayensis) Endemic ssp. sanghirensis LC Sangihe & Talaud 1 1

Hair-crested Drongo (Dicrurus hottentottus) Drongo sp. ? White-eyed Form? Taxonomy incomplete 1 H

Golden Bulbul (Alophoixus affinis) Sangihe Golden Bulbul (A. platenae) CR potential for geographical split, with ssp. Likely to be

CR

Black-naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis) Black-naped Oriole (O. c. melanisticus & O. c.

sangirensis)

LC distinctive endemic forms 1 1

Sangihe White-eye (Zosterops nehrkorni) Black-crowned White-eye (Z. atrifrons nehrkorni) CR

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Everett’s White-eye (Zosterops everetii) Endemic ssp. babelo LC Talaud & SE Asia/Piilippines 1 1

Elegant Sunbird (Aethopyga duyvenbodei) EN 1 1

Plain-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes malacensis) Endemic ssp. heliocalus Brown-throated Sunbird LC Sangihe & Siau

Black Sunbird (Nectarinia Aspasia) Endemic ssp. sangirensis and ssp. talautensis LC Sangihe & Talaud 1 1

Yellow-sided Flowerpecker (Dicaeum aureolimbatum) Endemic ssp. laterale LC distinctive endemic form 1 1

Grey-sided Flowerpecker (Dicaeum celebicum) 'Talaud' Flowerpecker (D. (c.) talautense)

On Sangihe ssp. sanghirense

? distinctive endemic forms 1 1

For further details on Sangihe see Jon Riley (2002) ‘Population Sizes and the status of endemic and range restricted bird species on Sangihe Island, Indonesia’ Bird Conservation

International/Volume 12/Issue 01/March 2002. For Karakelang on Talaud see Jon Riley (2003) ‘Population sizes and the conservation status of endemic and restricted-range bird

species on Karakelang, Talaud Islands, Indonesia’ Bird Conservation International Volume 13/ Issue 01/ March 2003. For Sangihe & Talaud see Jon Riley (1997) ‘The Birds of

Sangihe and Talaud, North Sulawesi’ Kukila 9:3-36