North Sulawesi is a province in the Republic of Indonesia. Its capital is Manado city. It has been famous around the world as a destination for visitors who love birdwatching or wildlife watching. There are a number of birding sites which birdwatchers could visit in North Sulawesi.
 |
| Yellow-billed Malkoha |
- Tambun Nature Reserve - This is an important birding site on Kotamobagu regency that is important for watching Maleo (Macrocephalon maleo). A lot of other birds could also be seen there. They include Knobbed Hornbill, Sulawesi Pitta, White-necked Myna, Pale Blue Monarch, Green Imperial Pigeon, Black-naped Oriole, Purple-winged Roller, and etc.
- Tapak Kolintang Forest - This birding site is good for general birding. Visitors who go there could see White-faced Cuckoo-dove (Sulawesi Black Pigeon), Green Imperial Pigeon, Black-naped Fruit-dove, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, and etc.
- Mount Mahawu - This is an inactive volcano near Tomohon town in Minahasa highland. Most birdwatchers go there to see Scaly-breasted Kingfisher as well as other tropical birds of Sulawesi that occur in high elevation forest. There are Warbling white-eye, Sulawesi Myzomela, Superb Fruit Dove, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker and etc.
- Lake Linow - Various species of water birds could be watched in Lake Linow. They include White-breasted Waterhen, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Medium Egret, Purple Heron, Sunda Teal, Collared Kingfisher, Barred Rail, Buff-banded Rail and etcm
- Lake Tondano - More birds could be watched there. Some of them are Glossy Swiftlet, Uniform Swiftlet, White-nest Swiftlet, Dusky Moorhen, Eurasian Moorhen, White-browed Crake, Yellow Bittern, Black Kite, Brahminy Kite, Sulawesi Serpent Eagle, Spotted Harrier, Osprey, and etc.
- Sonder Hill forest and farmland - This birding sites are the habitat of a lot of species of birds including Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, Snowy-browed Flycacther, Sulawesi Myzomela, Sulawesi Bush Warbler, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Pygmy Hanging Parrot, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Crimson Sunbird, White-breasted Woodswallow, Green Imperial Pigeon, Black-naped Fruit-dove, Zebra Dove, Collared Kingfisher, Sulawesi Crow, Pygmy Woodpecker, Bay Coucal, Lesser Coucal, and etc.
- Tangkoko Nature Reserve - This is a must visit forest for visitors who want to see birds and other animals that occur in tropical rainforest. Tangkoko is famous for its kingfishers from the tiny Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher and Ruddy Kingfisher to the medium sized Green-backed Kingfisher and Lilac Kingfisher and to the large one, i.e. the Great-billed Kingfisher. Forest birds are abundant in Tangkoko. They include Knobbed Hornbill, Sulawesi Hornbill, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Minahasa Racket-tail, Golden-mantled Racket-tail, Blue-backed Parrot, Green Imperial Pigeon, Gray-cheeked Green Pigeon, White-necked Myna, Finch-billed Myna, and etc.
- Coastal Area of Batu Putih village to Naun River is important site for watching sea birds. Osprey, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Brahminy Kite, Purple Heron, Great-billed Heron, Pacific Reef Heron, Common Sandpiper, Blue Rock Thrush, Pied Imperial Pigeon, Wood Sandpiper, Terek Sandpiper, Great-billed Kingfisher, and etc.
For visitors who do not have many days of stay in North Sulawesi. They could take 1-day birding and sight seeing tour or a short morning birding trip at the outskirts of Manado city. Birds that they could watch include Sahul Sunbird, Gray-sided Flowerpecker, Pacific Swallow, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Pale Blue Monarch, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Collared Kingfisher, Sulawesi Crow, and etc.
If you are interested in taking a birding and wildlife watching tour in North Sulawesi, and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp through this contact link.
