Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa in the Province of North Sulawesi of Indonesia is surrounded by farmland, rice paddies, farm forest and rivers. They are the natural habitat of a lot of species of birds. Many of them are endemic to Sulawesi island of Indonesia.
Birds in Hill Areas of Sonder
The hill areas of Sonder is covered by farm forest. A lot of trees grow there. They include coconut tree, clove tree, durian, avocado, and forest trees. There are also shrub plants along the road sides. Birdwatchers who do birding walk along this road could see such birds as Sulawesi Myzomela, Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher,Citrine Canary Flycatcher, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, Crimson Sunbird, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Sulawesi Pitta, Sulawesi Bush Warbler, Warbling White-eye, Black-faced Munia, Sulaweei Drongo, and a lot more.The best time to watch birds in this site is early in the mornings from 06:00 to 10:00. However, because the elevation of the farm forest in several parts of the mountain is above 1,000 meters, the birding sites are often still covered by fog between 06:00 and 07:00.
The farm forest in lower elevation area around Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa is the habitat of other interesting species of birds such as Black-naped Oriole, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Finch-billed Myna, Zebra Dove, Sahul Sunbird, Brown-throated Sunbird, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Ashy Woodpecker, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Gray-sided Flowerpecker, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker, Warbling White-eye, Black-crowned White-eye, White-faced Cuckoo Dove, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon, Sulphur-bellied Whistler, Pale Blue Monarch, Barred Rail, Buff-banded Rail, Cinnamon Bittern, White-browed Crake, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Purple Heron, and etc.
In rice paddy areas of Sonder, visitors could see birds such as Scaly-breasted Munia, Chestnut Munia, White-breasted Woodswallow, White-browed Crake, Pacific Swallow, Glossy Swiftlet, White-nest Swiftlet, Rock Pigeon, Barred Rail, Buff-banded Rail, Isabelline Bush-hen, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Purple Heron, Javan Pond Heron, and etc.
Some of these birds such as CattlenEgret and Little Egret are considered as friends of the farmers who work in the rice field. They eat grasshopper and other insects that attack the rice plants. However, for the Scaly-breasted Munia, Black-faced Munia, and Chestnut Munia, they are considered as pests. Most often, farmers have to cover their rice plants with nets to prevent small birds from eating the grain before harvest season.
There is a small slope in Tounelet village of Sonder town. The slope is covered by tall trees. A lot of birds could be watched from the road side. They include Sooty-headed Bulbul, Collared Kingfisher, Zebra Dove, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Black-naped Oriole, Sahul Sunbird, Chestnut Munia, Eurasian Treesparrow, Sulawesi Brush Cuckoo, Pale Blue Monarch, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, White-nest Swiftlet, Glossy Swiftlet, Sulawesi Crow, Cattle Egret, and a lot more.
If you are interested in traveling to Manado city for taking a birding tour in Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa, as well as, in Mount Mahawu and Tangkoko Nature Reserve of North Sulawesi Province of Indonesia, please, contact us in Ecotours Indonesia by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.
