Tangkoko Bird List

There are a lot of species of birds that birdwatchers could see while exploring the rainforest, farmland, coastal area and rivers in Tangkoko Batu Angus Nature Reserve. Here is the list of some of the birds in Tangkoko and its surrounding areas:

• Sulawesi Hanging Parrot
• Pygmy Hanging Parrot
• Minahasa Racquet-tail (Yellow-breasted Racquet-tail)
• Golden-mantled Racquet-tail
• Blue-backed Parrot
• Green-backed Kingfisher
• Lilac Kingfisher
• Ruddy Kingfisher
• Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher
• Great-billed Kingfisher
• Collared Kingfisher
• Pink-necked Green Pigeon
• Pied Imperial Pigeon
• Silver-tipped Imperial Pigeon
• Gray-cheeked Green Pigeon
• Green Imperial Pigeon
• Black-naped Fruit-dove
• Spotted Dove
• Stephan's Dove
• Zebra Dove
• Red-collared Dove
• Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove (also called Sultan's Cuckoo-dove)
• Black-naped Oriole
• Purple-winged Roller
• Black-billed Koel
• White-rumped Triller
• Sulawesi Cicadabird
• Sulawesi Brush Cuckoo
• Bay Coucal
• Lesser Coucal
• Yellow-sided Flowerpecker
• Gray-sided Flowerpecker
• Crimson Sunbird
• Sahul Sunbird
• Brown-throated Sunbird
• Common Sandpiper
• Whimbrel
• Little Grebe
• Yellow-bittern
• White-breasted Waterhen
• Oriental Darter
• Black-naped Tern
• Pacific Reef Heron
• Purple Heron
• Gray-billed Heron
• Nankeen Night Heron
• Little Heron
• Striated Heron
• Speckled Boobook
• Ochre-bellied Boobook
• Spot-tailed Goshawk
• Brahminy Kite
• White-bellied Sea Eagle
• and etc.

When we explore deeper into Minahasa highland, we will see more interesting avifauna. There are overlapping occurance in range of the birds. Here are some of them:

• Lesser Fish Eagle
• Sulawesi Goshawk
• Black Kite
• Hair-crested (White-eyed) Drongo
• Sulawesi Drongo
• Sulawesi Serpent Eagle
• Sulawesi Scops Owl
• Speckled Boobook
• Sulawesi Crow
• Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher
• Snowy-browed Flycatcher
• Citrine Canary Flycatcher
• Turquoise Flycatcher
• Black-crowned White-eye
• Warbling White-eye
• Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker
• Gray-sided Flowerpecker
• Yellow-sided Flowerpecker
• Sulawesi Myzomela
• Sulawesi Hanging Parrot
• Pygmy Hanging Parrot
• Black Sunbird
• Sahul Sunbird
• Brown-throated Sunbird
• Sahul Sunbird
• Crimson Sunbird
• Sulawesi Bush Warbler
• Stephan's Dove
• Superb Fruit-dove
• Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove
• White-faced Cuckoo-dove
• Red-eared Fruit Dove
• Scaly-breasted Kingfisher
• Collared Kingfisher
• Pale Blue Monarch
• Pygmy Woodpecker
• Yellow-billed Malkoha
• Black Kite
• Barred Rail
• Buff-banded Rail
• Isabelline Bush-hen
• White-browed Crake
• Cinnamon Bittern
• Javan Pond Heron
• Little Egret
• Cattle Egret
• Sulawesi Pitta
• Gray Wagtail
• Gray-rumped Treeswift
• Glossy Swiftlet
• Edible Nest Swiftlet
• Sooty-headed Bulbul
• Black-faced Munia
• Chestnut Munia
• Scaly-breasted Munia
• and etc.

If you are interested in taking a birdwatching/ photography trip in Tangkoko Nature Reserve and Minahasa Highland, and want me to organize your tour, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180. 

Related Posts

• Birding in Tangkoko Nature Reserve and Minahasa Highland
• Wildlife Watching and Photography Tour in Tangkoko, Mount Mahawu and Sonder's Farm Forest

Brown-throated Sunbird

This is the picture of Brown-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes malacensis celebensis) that was taken in the small forest of Tounelet village in Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa regency.  The bird, according to Wikipedia, has got a thick bill with an average length of 14 cm. It can be found in open forest, along the roadside where there are flowering plants or in coconut plantations. The bird likes the nectar of coconut flower. The male bird is more colourful than the female one. 

Brown-throated Sunbird

The Brown-throated Sunbird looks similar to Sahul Sunbird (Cynniris frenatus) whose habitat is the same. 

Sahul Sunbird

The tropical rainforest and farmland of North Sulawesi from Tangkoko Nature Reserve to Mount Mahawu and Sonder's forest are the habitat of various species of sunbirds such as Sahul Sunbird, Brown-throated Sunbird, Crimson Sunbird, and Black Sunbird.

Crimson Sunbird

There are also a lot of other species of birds in Minahasa Peninsula which visitors could watch including Yellow-billed Malkoha, Sulawesi-crested Myna, Sulawesi Pitta, Pale Blue Monarch, Sulawesi Myzomela, Knobbed Hornbill, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Pygmy Hanging Parrot, Ashy Woodpecker, Pygmy Woodpecker, and etc. 

If you are interested in taking a birdwatching tour in Tangkoko Nature Reserve, Mount Mahawu, Lake Linow, Sonder's forest, and Tincep's ricefield and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180. 

Also read:

• Birds in Tangkoko and Minahasa Highland
• Wildlife Watching and Photography Tour in Tangkoko and Minahasa Highland 
• Birding in Tangkoko Nature Reserve and Minahasa Highland

Birds in Tangkoko and Minahasa Highland

Tangkoko Nature Reserve is a protected tropical rainforest area in the Province of North Sulawesi. The forest is the habitat of a lot of species of birds such as Green-backed Kingfisher, Ruddy Kingfisher, Great-billed Kingfisher, Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher, Sulawesi Lilac Kingfisher, White-necked Myna, Sulawesi-crested Myna, Green Imperial Pigeon, Gray-cheeked Green Pigeon, Black-naped Fruit-dove, Sulawesi Brush Cuckoo, Sulawesi Cicadabird, Sulawesi Dwarf Hornbill, Knobbed Hornbill, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Pygmy Hanging Parrot, Minahasa Racquet-tail (also called Yellow-breasted Racquet-tail), Sulawesi Racquet-tail (also known as Golden-mantled Racquet-tail), Blue-backed Parrot. 

Some birds from Tangkoko of Minahasa Peninsula: Sulawesi Dwarf Hornbill, Purple-winged Roller, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Knobbed Hornbill

Because the forest is located along the coastal area, sometimes we could see such birds as White-bellied Sea Eagle, Brahminy Kite, Little Egret, Sulawesi Crow, Great-billed Heron, Pacific Reef Heron, and etc. 

There is a man-made lake near the forest of Tangkoko Nature Reserve. We could see Oriental Darter, White-breasted Waterhen, Yellow Bittern, Little Grebe, Purple-winged Roller. 

Gursky's Spectral Tarsier

Minahasa Highland

Most visitors, combine their birdwatching tour in Tangkoko with another trip to Minahasa Highland. The recommended birding sites include farm forest of Sonder, Lake Linow, Tincep Ricefield, Pine Forest, and Kiawa farmland. Birds that could be watched in these areas include Scaly-breasted Kingfisher, Sulawesi Pitta, Mountain White-eye, Black-crowned White-eye, Sulawesi Myzomela, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Crimson Sunbird, Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, Citrine Canary Flycatcher, Superb Fruit-dove, and etc.

Scaly-breasted Kingfisher

On the average, birdwatchers spend on the average 7 days/ 6 nights for the birding trip in Tangkoko and Minahasa Highland. To share the cost, it is better for participants to travel in a group of 2 to 4 people. 

Warbling White-eye (also called: Mountain White-eye)

Most birdwatchers bring binoculars. To enhance the birding experience, a digital camera with telephoto lens or a spotting scope that is mounted on a tripod can be brought during the trip.

Speckled Boobook

Accommodation

There are homestays/ lodges in Tangkoko. There are also hotels in Tomohon of Minahasa Highland. 

Booking

To take birding tour in Tangkoko and Minahasa highland, participants need to fly to Manado city of Indonesia.

If you are interested in taking a birding tour in Tangkoko Nature Reserve and Minahasa highland, and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180. 

Also read:

• Wildlife Photography Tour in Tangkoko and Minahasa Highland
• Birding in Tangkoko Nature Reserve and Minahasa Highland

Sulawesi Hanging Parrot

These are photographs of Sulawesi Hanging Parrot that I took in two different places. The first one was taken in Temboan Hill of Tangkoko Nature Reserve, and the second one in Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa regency. In the second picture, the bird landed on the branch of clove tree and started to feed on the lichen. This tropical bird eats fruits like papaya. This was a small parrot whose feather was mostly green with red patch on its forehead (crown).  It has got a length of approximately 15 cm. 

Sulawesi Hanging Parrot

Sulawesi Hanging Parrot

The red feather could also be seen on its chin, leading edge of the wing and rump. Sulawesi Hanging Parrot has got orange feet, and pale yellow iris with black eye pupil. 

This beautiful bird could be watched along the edge of rainforest and farmland that has got fruiting trees. They like to sit on the canopy of the trees. Unfortunately, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot is often seen by farmers as pest because they often fly in groups to fruiting trees which are grown by farmers.

If you are interested in taking a birding and sightseeing tour in Minahasa Peninsula of North Sulawesi and want me to organize your trip and guide you, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com. 

Also read:

• Warbling White-eye
• Sooty-headed Bulbul
• Birding in Sonder town of Minahasa Highland

Sooty-headed Bulbul in the Farmland of Minahasa

In Minahasa highland of North Sulawesi, Sooty-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster) is one of the most common birds that people can see in cities, towns and villages. 

In Greek, the term Pynonotus is formed from two words, i.e. puknos which means thick or compact; and nōtos meaning backed (nōton back). The term aurigaster consists of two Latin words: aurum meaning gold, and gaster meaning belly.

People in Indonesia call it Kutilang. According to e-bird, Sooty-headed Bulbul is considered as a sensitive bird. As a matter of fact, the bird is not sensitive at all in Minahasa peninsula.  

Sooty-headed Bulbul

The songbird is traded as caged bird in several parts of Indonesia because people like listening to their songs. Sooty-headed Bulbul. This bird helps farmers by feeding on insects in farmland areas. However, it can also be considered as pets because it eats fruit. 

Sooty-headed Bulbul in Sonder town of Minahasa regency

There are also other common birds that we can see in Minahasa highland especially throughout its small towns and villages. They include Eurasian Treesparrow, Sahul Sunbird, Slender-billed Crow, Cattle Egret, and Zebra Dove. 

As a tourist guide in Minahasa regency of North Sulawesi, I offer birdwatching tour for visitors who want to watch the avifauna of this region. 

Birdwatching is an interesting tourism activity for nature lovers. Visitors can watch various species of birds as well as other animals when walking in outdoor environment. 

Sonder town in Minahasa regency

The highland of Minahasa has got a lot of beautiful landscapes. Tour participants can enjoy birdwatching and at the same time seeing the beautiful nature of the highland.

If you are interested in exploring the farmland and forest Minahasa for birdwatching and sightseeing, please, contact me Charles Roring by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Also read:

• Warbling White-eye
• Birding in Sonder of Minahasa
• Sooty-headed Bulbul
• Collared Kingfisher 

Warbling White-eye

I often do birdwatching trip in Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa highland. One of the birds that I see is Warbling White-eye (Zosterops japonicus). This is a small bird that likes to hop on the twigs of shrub plants that grow along the roadside of hills in Minahasa. 

Warbling White-eye

According to ebird, this bird can be found in Indonesian islands, the Philipines, coastal area of China, Taiwan, Japan, Korean peninsula and even upto Russian Far Fast.  In Wikipedia, it says that the bird is omnivorous meaning that it eats various kinds of food from berries to insects and seeds. Therefore, ecologically, the bird plays very important role as seed dispersers and as predator of small insects that are often considered by farmers as pest. So, this tiny bird is an unsung hero in agriculture. 

Warbling White-eye

In Minahasa highland, this Warbling White-eye lives in the mountains where the daily temperature is cools. 

The bird has got olive head, neck and wings with bright yellow throat and white-grayish underparts. It has got black pointy bill and white-eye ring. 

In addition to Warbling White-eye, other birds that I see during my birding walk in Minahasa highland include Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, Superb Fruit-dove, Sulawesi Drongo, White-eyed Drongo, Crimson Sunbird, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, Citrine Canary Flycatcher, Sulawesi Bush Warbler, Gray-sided Flowerpecker, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker and a lot more. 

As a tourist guide, I offer birdwatching and butterfly watching tours to tourists who plan to visit Manado city in North Sulawesi province of Indonesia. 

If you are interested in taking a vacation to Indonesia and want to me organize your nature tour in Minahasa highland, you could contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by e-mail to peace4wp@gmail.com. 

Nature Tour Around Manado City

As a tourist guide, I offer nature tours around North Sulawesi province of Indonesia. The outskirts of Manado city consist of hills and farmlands. They are attractive for visitors who want to see beautiful nature, watch birds and butterflies as well as see wonderful view of the landscape or seascape around Manado city. Here are some of them:

• Makatete Hills - located in the south of Manado city, this place can be reached by car or motorcycle. From Sam Ratulangi International Airport, it takes around 50 minutes to reach it when the traffic is not congested. Visitors can enjoy the beautiful view of Manado city while having a cup of tea or coffee with some fried bananas at the café that is built on the hill.

Makatete Hills are located in the south of Manado city

• Another site near Manado city that offers magnificent view of the sea and Bunaken islands is Mount Tumpa. Visitors could see Bunaken, Siladen, Manado Tua, Mantehage and Nain. In addition to enjoying the beautiful view of the seascape of Manado city, visitors could enjoy watching birds and butterflies of North Sulawesi in Mount Tumpa. There are such birds as Zebra Dove, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Red Jungle Fowl, Green Imperial Pigeon, Pale Blue Monarch, Slender-billed Crow, Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon, Finch-billed Myna and etc. 

Tunan Waterfall

• Tunan Waterfall - This natural tourist attraction is located near Sam Ratulangi International Airport. It takes around half and hour to reach the waterfall. Visitors who want to visit this place need to wear rubber boots or sandals that have grips so that they could walk along the slippery concrete path. Green plants grow along both sides of the path. Various kinds of butterflies could be seen around the waterfall. 

Farmland in Talawaan village near Manado city

• Talawaan Farmland is the land area around Talawaan village. Local people grow various kinds of crops including papaya, avocado, coconut, corn, jackfruit and etc. Visitors could walk along the road to see the green crops,  as well as watch birds and butterflies around the area. Birds such as Green Imperial Pigeon, Collared Kingfisher, Ivory-backed Woodswallow, Black-naped Fruit-dove, Slender-billed Crow, Finch-billed Myna, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove could be watched in this area. 

Minahasa Highland Tour

Birds in Minahasa Highland

Collared Kingfisher

Extended Tour to Tomohon and other places of Minahasa Highland

There are still a lot of interesting places that we could see if we extend our tour to Minahasa highland such as Tomohon town, Subdistrict Sonder, Mount Mahawu, Lake Linow, Pine Forest, Tincep Village, Langowan, and etc. 

If you are interested in taking a land tour around Manado city and up to Minahasa highland, and want me (Charles Roring) to organize your trip, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Related Posts:

• Minahasa Highland Tour
• Birding in Mount Mahawu and Lake Linow of Tomohon Municipality
• Sightseeing and Birdwatching Tour in the Ricefield of Sonder