Wallacea - North Sulawesi Route

Departure 9 March 2010, 11 May 2010, 10 July 2010, 10 September 2010, 1 November 2010

Duration 8 days and 7 nights

Target Birds 100 to 120 species

Bird Diversity 224 species - 97 Endemics

Wallacea Is a myriad of oceanic islands located between the Oriental and Australasian region. The region gets its name after the renowned English naturalist Alfred Russell Wallace a contemporary of Charles Darwin and is acknowledged to be the co-founder of the Theory of Evolution.

Wallacea host a fascinating mix of Oriental and Australasian elements but most importantly its oceanic isolation has resulted in the evolution of a remarkably high number of endemic bird species. Sulawesi is the largest of the islands that make up Wallacea and supports the richest, most highly endemic and most distinctive birds. There approximately 224 birds found on Mainland Sulawesi, of which 41 species are endemics and a further 56 species are confined to Sulawesi and/or its satellite islands. Our journey begins in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were we take a 3hours flight to Manado which is the capital of North Sulawesi.

From Manado Airport we take interesting 2 hour journey by road we will arrive at Tengkoko National Park, were we bed soon at our lodge in exciting anticipation of the coming 3 days of birding at this park. In the next seven days endemics will come fast and furious!

We explore the lowland rainforest and mangrove forest in search of the endemics to be found here. Among the endemics we may see are Sulawesi Hawk Eagle, Yellow Breasted Racquet-tailed Parrot, Silver Tip imperial Pigeon, Yellow Billed Malkoha, Sulawesi Black Pigeon, Finch Billed Myna, Golden Mantle Racquet Tailed Parrot, Green Backed Kingfisher, Lilac Cheeked Kingfisher, Sulawesi Babbler, Red Backed Thrush, White Napped Myna, Red Knob Hornbill, Ashy Woodpecker, Yellow Sided Flower-pecker, White Rumped Cuckoo-shrike, Sulawesi Masked Owl, Black Billed Kingfisher, Sided Flower, Sulawesi Cicada Bird.

The non endemics that we may see are White Breasted Wood-swallow, Hairy-crested Drongo, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Buff Banded Rail, Channel Billed Cuckoo, Black Sunbird, Rainbow Bee-eater, Ruddy Kingfisher, Blue Breasted Pitta, Brown Cuckoo Dove, Emerald Dove, Pale Blue Monarch, Pied Imperial Pigeon, Scared Kingfisher, Grey Cheeked Green Pigeon, White Bellied Sea Eagle, Olive Backed Sunbird, Black Fronted White Eye. Other interesting wildlife may see are Tarsiers, Sulawesi Black Macaque, Flying Lizards and Squirrels.

On the late morning of third day we will drive to Tambun, the conservation site of the very unique Maleo bird, At Tambun and along the 4 hour journey there we will perhaps pick up some more endemics birds like Bay Coucal, Black Billed Koel, Sulawesi Pied Triller, Maleo and non endemics like the Uniform swiftlet; Great Eared Nightjar, Spotted Marsh Harrier; Javan Pond Heron, Red Tuttle Dove. We will spend the next several days at a local homestay.

The following mornings we will bird around the National Park Dumogo-Bone and Molibagu road which will produce some more interesting endemics not seen before like Isabella Bush-hen, Ochre Bellied owl, Large Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Sulawesi Hawk Eagle, White Necked Myna, Yellow Bellied Malkoha, Red Knobbed Hornbill, Sulawesi Short Crested Myna, White bellied Imperial Pigeon, Sulawesi Dwarf Hornbill, Grey Sided Flowerpecker Sulawesi Goshawk, Ivory Backed Woodswallow, Small Sulawesi hanging Parrot. Among the non endemics are Bhraminy Kite, Cattle Egret, Green Imperial Pigeon, Black Naped Oriole, Purple Heron, Purple Needle Tailed Swift, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Kestrel, Bared Rail, Lesser Whistling Duck, Crimson Sunbird and the stunningly beautiful Black Naped Green Pigeon.

The final destination of our expedition to Sulawesi is the montane species Termohon about an hour from Manado. The cool highland climate is a welcomed respite from the warm weather of the lowlands. The backdrop of volcanoes and craters make for an awe inspiring experience only to be surpassed by some superb endemics birds like Scarlet Honey-eater, Crimson Crowned Flowerpecker, Sulawesi Spotted Goshawk, Sulawesi Serpent Eagle, Bay Coucal, Superb Fruit Dove, Streaky Headed White Eye, Sulawesi Dwarf Woodpecker, and non endemics like Island Verditer, Mountain Tailorbird, White Browed Crake, Cinnamon Bittern, Scaly Breasted Munia, Cinnamon Munia, Little Egret, Wandering Whistling Duck, Ziting Cisticola, Lesser Coucal, Glamorous Reed Warbler, Javan Pond Heron, Black Kite; Blue Breasted Quail, Rufus Bellied Eagle, Brown Cuckoo Dove, Mountain White Eye, Dark Fronted White Eye, Citrine Flycatcher.

On the final day around late morning we will travel back to Manado and take our flight back to Kuala Lumpur and the connecting flight to UK.

~ End of Tour ~

Price

MYR 6,845.00 per person (Minimum 8 people)

MYR 7,311.00 per person (Minimum 6 people)

MYR 8,960.00 per person (Minimum 4 people)

MYR 9,700.00 per person (Minimum 2 people)

Single Supplement: RM 1,170 per person.

Price Included of Return Airfare from Kuala Lumpur to Manado, accommodations, transfers, meals , all excursions and bird guide