INDONESIA

SULAWESI (Celebes)/HALMAHERA TOUR

23 days

These exotic islands in central Indonesia showed us a grand time on our previous tours and we'll be repeating our route with some modifications to add a few birds here and there. We expect about 225 species, many of which are known to only a few birders. The star attraction on Sulawesi is the Maleo, an endangered megapode, which we are likely to see. Other fine birds that we should see are: 15-18 hawks and eagles (including Barred Honey-Buzzard, Sulawesi Serpent-Eagle, and Sulawesi Hawk-Eagle), a number of very attractive fruit-doves and imperial pigeons, 7 parrots, Yellow-billed Malkoha, 4 or 5 owls, 7 or 8 kingfishers, 2 hornbills, 5 cuckooshrikes, Malia, some attractive flycatchers and monarchs, several whistlers, several flowerpeckers, a few white-eyes and honeyeaters, and 4 very exotic mynas. We've added a new site to see the newly described Rufous Boobook (Ninox ios). While some of our accommodations will be fairly rustic, it is not a particularly rugged trip. Most (but not all) of our birding will be done along roads and good trails. You'll find the Indonesians very friendly and hospitable. Our food will be basic to superb. If you'd like to see some of the world's least-known birds amidst spectacular scenery and tropical rain forests in the most diverse and fascinating archipelago on earth, you'll find this trip exciting and satisfying. Leader: Ben King.

Home of Wallace's Standardwing, one of the most unusual of the birds-of-paradise, Halmahera has a unique and exotic avifauna. Our local guides keep track of the display trees of the standardwing, ensuring us a good look at this intriguing creature. Other likely birds are: Gurney's Eagle, several beautiful fruit-doves, Nicobar Pigeon, 4 or 5 parrots, White Cockatoo, Goliath Coucal, Moluccan Owlet-nightjar, Blue-and-white Kingfisher, Common Paradise-Kingfisher, Blyth's Hornbill, Ivory-breasted Pitta, Paradise Crow, and some interesting passerine species. We may also see Dusky and Moluccan Scrubfowl, Long-tailed Cuckoo-Dove, and Moluccan King Parrot. Leader: Ben King.