Minahasa highland is an interesting destination for visitors who are interested in birdwatching and sightseeing. There are a lot of places which visitors can explore to watch birds and other animals. Some of them are described below:
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| Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove in Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa regency |
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| Finch-billed Myna in Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa |
Mount Mahawu - Most birdwatchers go to this volcano to look for Scaly-breasted Kingfisher. However, more birds could be watched in the slope of this volcano. There are Red Jungle Fowl, Barred Rail, Superb Fruit Dove, Snowy-browed Flycatcher, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Collared Kingfisher, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Ashy Woodpecker, Isabelline Bush-hen, and etc.
Lake Tondano - After exploring the mountains of Minahasa, we could go to Tondano town to watch birds in Tondano Lake. There, we could watch various species of water birds such as Purple Heron, White-browed Crake, Little Egret, Yellow Bittern, Oriental Reed Warbler, Javan Pond Heron, Pacific Swallow, Whiskered Tern, Eastern Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Black Kite, Osprey, Brahminy Kite, and etc.
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| Zebra Dove in Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa |
Tincep Paddy Field is another site in Minahasa highland that is suitable for watching water birds. Visitors could walk along the roadside to watch such birds as Pied Stilt, Barred Rail, Buff-banded Rail, Zebra Dove, Spotted Dove, Collared Kingfisher, White-browed Crake, Scaly-breasted Munia, Chestnut Munia, Eastern Cattle Egret, Medium Egret, and etc. If we continue our exploration of Tincep village, we will arrive at waterfall areas which is located in deep ravine. The landscape view is beautiful. We could watch Green Imperial Pigeon, Black-naped Fruit-dove, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, Black-naped Oriole, Sulawesi-crested Myna, Hair-crested (white-eyed) Drongo, and etc.
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| Sulawesi Myzomela in Sonder's forest of Minahasa highland |
Lake Linow is another site for watching water birds. Some of the many birds which visitors could watch include: Sunda Teal, Barn Swallow, Glossy Swiftlet, White-breasted Waterhen, Dusky Moorhen, and etc.
Birdwatching could also be carried out at nights. Birds that could be found include Sulawesi Scops Owl, and Speckled Boobook, and Sulawesi-masked Owl.
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| Collared Kingfisher in Tomohon |
Extending Your Trip
More birds could be watched in the lowland and lower montane area of Minahasa Peninsula. The recommended sites include the farmland area at the outskirts of Manado city and Tangkoko Nature reserve in Bitung Municipality. Farmland at the Outskirts of Manado city especially around Sam Ratulangi Airport. Birds that could be watched include: Yellow-billed Malkoha, Sulawesi Crow, Pacific Swallow, Sahul Sunbird, Pale Blue Monarch, Javan Myna, Java Sparrow, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Chestnut Munia, Scaly-breasted Munia, Zebra Dove, and etc.
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| Celebes-crested Macaque in Tangkoko Nature Reserve |
Tangkoko Nature Reserve is also the natural habitat of a lot of species of mammals, insects, and reptiles. Celebes-crested Macaque, Gursky's Spectral Tarsier, Sulawesi Bear Cuscus, Whitish Dwarf Squirrel, are some of the mammals that we could watch in Tangkoko.
If you are interested in taking a birding tour in Minahasa highland, and want me to guide you, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.
Also read:
- Birding in Tomohon of North Sulawesi, Indonesia
- Wildlife watching and Photography Tour in Tangkoko and Minahasa Highland
