Sonder town in Minahasa highland has increasingly become another destination for visitors who are interested in hiking, watching birds of Sulawesi and sightseeing. Birds that could be watched include:
- Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker (Dicaeum nehrkorni)
- Sulawesi Myzomela (Myzomela chloroptera)
- Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja)
- Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis omissus)
- Snowy-browed Flycatcher (Ficedula hyperythra)
- Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker (Dendrocopos temmincki)
- Citrine Canary- Flycatcher (Culicicapa helianthea)
- Japanese White-eye (also called: Warbling White-eye)
- Sulawesi Bush Warbler
- Sulawesi Drongo
- Black-faced Munia
- Black Kite
- Lesser Fish Eagle
- Sulawesi Goshawk
- and etc.
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| Sulawesi Scops Owl in Subdistrict Sonder |
Birds that live in lower montane forest of Sulawesi could also be seen in Sonder. The slope of Tounelet behind Siloam Hospital is still covered by a small forest. It is the natural habitat of such birds as:
- Gray-cheeked Green Pigeon
- Black-naped Oriole
- Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove
- Zebra Dove
- Hair-crested Drongo (white-eyed)
- Gray-sided Flowerpecker
- Yellow-sided Flowerpecker
- Yellow-billed Malkoha
- Pale Blue Monarch
- Sahul Sunbird.
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| Crimson Sunbird |
The outskirts of Sonder town is mostly covered by farm forest that is the habitat of
- Finch-billed Myna
- White-breasted Woodswallow
- Collared Kingfisher
- Black-billed Koel
- Sulawesi Cicadabird
- Green Imperial Pigeon
- Brown-throated Sunbird
- Ashy Woodpecker
- Sulawesi Crow
- Sulawesi Myna, and etc.
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| Barred Rail |
In paddy field areas of Sonder, we could see:
- Barred Rail
- Buff-banded Rail
- Scaly-breasted Munia
- Chestnut Munia
- Isabelline Bush-hen
- White-browed Crake
- Cinnamon Bittern
- and etc.
Birding EquipmentTo watch birds, visitors need to bring a good pair of 8×42 mm, 10×42 mm or 10 × 50 mm binoculars. Famous brands such as Nikon Monarch, Swarovski, Leica are highly recommended. As a guide, I also bring a spotting scope for everyone to share the image of birds that sit on a branch of a distant tree.
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| Sulawesi Hanging Parrot |
Where is Sonder?
Sonder is a small subdistrict town in Minahasa regency of North Sulawesi Province of Indonesia. The capital of the province is Manado city. It is surrounded by hills, rivers and valleys. Visitors who want to visit Sonder town can go by car from Manado city for 1 hour.
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| Sonder town |
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| Flight routes to Manado city |
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| Car route from Manado city to Tomohon and Sonder in Minahasa highland |
Extending Your Birding Tour
This birding trip in Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa highland can be extended to longer trips to other birding sites in the same region of North Sulawesi Province of Indonesia. The tour plan for the extended tour is described in the following itinerary:
Birding in North Sulawesi
Arriving in Manado city. Lake Linow of Lahendong village.
Birding in Mount Mahawu, and Sonder's Farm Forest.
Birding in Mount Mahawu, Tincep's waterfall and rice field.
Transfer to Tangkoko Nature Reserve. Birding in Temboan Hill
Birding inside Tangkoko forest
Birding in Naun River
Birding in Temboan, transfer to Manado, check into hotel. Birding at the outskirts of Manado city.
Transfer to airport.
How to get there?
Forign visitors need to fly from their country to Singapore. There are regular flight service from Scoot Air between Singapore and Manado city. There are also flights between Guangzhou of China and Manado city of Indonesia.
For foreign visitors who fly to Jakarta or Denpasar of Bali, they could take domestic flights provided by such airlines in Indonesia as Garuda, Batik, SuperAirjet, Citilink and Sriwijaya Air.
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| Gray-cheeked Green Pigeon |
Where to stay?
There are basic homestays in Sonder town. Visitors who look for more comfortable rooms can stay in hotels in Tomohon town which visitors can choose to stay.
The birding tour in Sonder can be combined with avifauna tour in Mount Mahawu, Lake Linow and Tangkoko National Park. The duration of this tour is approximately 1 week.
Booking
If you are interested in taking a birding tour in Sonder and other parts of Minahasa Peninsula and want us to organize your trip, please, contact us by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.
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