Birding in Tomohon

Tomohon is a small town in Minahasa highland of the Province of North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Tomohon is surrounded by mountains, forest, farmlands, lakes and paddy fields. These are attractive birding sites for visitors who want to see the beauty of nature and watch various species of birds of Sulawesi. 

Mount Mahawu is the place for watching birds that live in high elevation forest. Some of the birds which visitors could see include Warbling White-eye, Black-crowned White-eye, Superb Fruit-dove, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, Sulawesi Drongo, Red Jungle Fowl, Scaly-breasted Kingfisher, and etc. Mount Mahawu is also a beautiful destination for visitors who want to enjoy sightseeing especially from the edge of its crater.

Scaly-breasted Kingfisher in the forest of Mount Mahawu

Lake Linow is a beautiful site for sightseeing and birdwatching. Birds that could be seen in the lake include White-breasted Waterhen, Javan Pond Heron, Barn Swallow, Sunda Teal, Australasian Swamphen, Barred Rail, Buff-banded Rail, Little Egret, Purple Heron, and etc. 

Kayawu Rice Field is another birding site of Tomohon that is good for watching White-breasted Woodswallow, White-browed Crake, Barred Rail, Scaly-breasted Munia, Chestnut Munia, Glossy Swiftlet, White-nest Swiftlet, and Cattle Egret. From Kayawu, we could return to Tomohon town via Woloan villages. Local people there are experts in building knocked-down wooden houses.

Subdistrict Sonder - After exploring birding sites in Tomohon, we could go further to forest, farmland and waterfall in Subdistrict Sonder. The high elevation forest of Mount Lengkoan is the site for watching such birds as Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Black Sunbird, Sulawesi Myzomela, Black-crowned White-eye, Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, Sulawesi Pitta, Sulawesi Bush Warbler, White-faced Cuckoo-dove, and etc.

Sulawesi Hanging Parrot

Another interesting site for birdwatching in Sonder is Tincep village. Its Kengkang waterfall is the site for watching Gray-cheeked Green Pigeon, Green Imperial Pigeon, Black-naped Fruit-dove, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, Sulawesi Serpent Eagle, Sulawesi-crested Myna, White-rumped Triller, Black-fruit-dove, Black-naped Oriole and etc. Tincep has got huge rice field area. Visitors could watch Pied Stilt, Buff-banded Rail, Barred Rail, Collared Kingfisher, Javan Pond Heron, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, and etc.

If you are interested in birding in Tomohon of Minahasa highland and other areas in North Sulawesi, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180. 

Also read: 

• Birding in Tomohon of North Sulawesi, Indonesia
• Birds in Mount Mahawu
• Birding Tour in Sonder of Minahasa highland
• Birding in Tangkoko

Birding in Mount Mahawu, Lake Linow and Sonder Forest of Minahasa Highland

I guided a British tourist in early October 2024 in Minahasa highland of North Sulawesi Province of Indonesia. The first site that we visited was Lake Linow. We watched water birds that swam, walked and flew around the lake areas such as: Sunda Teal, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Black-backed Swamphen, White-breasted Waterhen, Barred Rail, Barn Swallow, Whiskered Tern, Javan Pond Heron, Uniform Swiftlet, Common Sandpiper.

   Sulawesi Pitta in Minahasa Highland

Crater of Mount Mahawu and birds that could be found in the area

In the afternoon, at 15:00, we continued our trip to Mount Mahawu where we walked up the stairs that led us to its crater. It was raining at that time, the stairs were slippery. Fortunately, when we reached its top, the rain stopped. 

We saw Sulawesi Cuckoo Dove, Black Sunbird, Turquoise Flycatcher, Glossy Swiftlet, and a large flock of Warbling White-eye in trees at the edge of the crater.

When we walked down the slope to the parking lot, we saw Sulawesi Malkoha. We continued birding along the road of Mount Mahawu where we saw White-bellied Imperial Pigeon and Gray-sided Flowerpecker.

Warbling White-eye

The next morning, we watched Scaly-breasted Kingfisher, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, White-eyed Drongo and Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, Gray-sided Flowerpecker, Sulawesi Myzomela still in the slope of Mount Mahawu. There was a Sulawesi Serpent Eagle that was soaring high in the sky above the forest area of the volcano.

We continued our birding tour to Subdistrict Sonder that late morning. We saw Crimson Sunbird, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, Gray-streaked Flycatcher, Sahul Sunbird, Sooty-headed Bulbul, and etc. I saw a Pink-necked Green Pigeon and then a Stephan's Dove that were flying down fast from the forest down the slope of Sonder's hill to the farmland area.

Scaly-breasted Kingfisher in Mount Mahawu

In late afternoon, we went birding again along the slope of Mount Mahawu. This time the bird was relatively the same as this morning and yesterday. Warbling White-eye, Black-crowned White-eye, Turquoise Flycatcher, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker and etc. There were more species that we could later add in our list, i.e. Superb Fruit Dove, Sulphur-bellied Whistler, and Sulawesi Scops Owl. 

Crimson Sunbird in Sonder's forest of Minahasa

The last day of our birding trip in North Sulawesi was conducted in Sonder of Minahasa regency. We saw Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Sulawesi Drongo, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, Sulawesi Myna, Green Imperial Pigeon, White-rumped Triller, Sulawesi Swiftlet, Lesser Fish Eagle, White-browed Crake, Collared Kingfisher, Crimson Sunbird, and Yellow-billed Malkoha. We heard the call of Bay Coucal and Isabelline Bush Hen. Unfortunately, we could not see them. 

North Sulawesi is a highly recommended destination for birdwatching and sightseeing. 

Hair-crested (White-eyed) Drongo

Accommodation

Most tourists who travel to the highland of Minahasa chose Tomohon town as their place to stay. There are hotels and homestays that can be booked from the internet. 

Booking

If you are interested in traveling to Manado city and doing a walking tour for sightseeing or hiking for birdwatching, and butterfly watching, and want a guide to organize your trip, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180. 

Also read:

• Birds in Tangkoko and Minahasa Highland
• Birding in Tangkoko Nature Reserve
• Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher
• Black-naped Oriole
• Birdwatching in North Sulawesi
• Birds of Sulawesi