Birding West Papua | Birds of Paradise

Biridng West Papua | Birds of Paradise Trip in 2023

The most labor-intensive bird of paradise that I have ever photographed is the Wallace’s Standardwing bird of paradise on the island of Halmahera. It involved setting up a base camp in the forest and waking up at 4 a.m. to trek across the forest and streams in the dark. Thankfully, the remaining birds of paradise were not that tedious in West Papua. I planned an 18-day journey stopping in Sorong, Arfak mountain region, Magalufuk, and Waigeo Island, birding in West Papua for birds of paradise.

Birding West Papua | Birds of Paradise — The supporting team to photograph the Wallace Standardwing bird of paradise in Halmahera. I am second from the right, wearing a hat.
Photo by Jeine Tamara

Bird of Paradise from Hides

Almost all the birds of paradise are photographed from hides built by local landowners. Some hides are make-shift, others are elaborate and elevated in order to get closed to the birds.

Typical hide in Arfak Mountain can fit maximum 5 people.

Birding in West Papua Indonesia

Besides the birds of paradise, there are other birds in the forest. We have hired another local guide from Waigeo who brings us around to identify birds and acts as a coordinator for the trip in arranging the driver and ferry.

Accommodation in the village is only homestay. Only in Waigeo, Rajat Ampat, there are choices of resort, hotel, or homestay that one can book via the usual online travel platform.

In Arfak, it is a full board arrangement, including food, transport, porters, and guides. The village is in a remote Arfak mountain in the Vogelkop peninsular near Manokwari.

Day 1, 2 Sorong, Birding in West Papua

We flew from Singapore via Scoot to Manado. We tried the delicious seafood restaurant at Rajah Oce, near the airport.

Delicious seafood in Indonesia. Ikan bumbu rojak from Raja Oce in Manado.

Birding in Sorong West Papua

We arrived Sorong Hutan Lindung in the late morning and photographed the following birds near the car park and the tower.

Yellow-billed Kingfisher.
The bird responded to our call.

Beautiful male Shining Flycatcher showed up near the road side tree.

Black Cicadabird
Sulfur-created Cockatoo

We completed the day with a Nasi Padang dinner across from the hotel.

Day 3, 4, 5, 6 Arfak Mountain, Manokawi.

The tour leader picked us up in two 4×4 Hilux at the Manokwari airport. We stopped by at the local market to buy gasoline for the generator for the lodge.

Uploading our equipment to the 4X4 Hilux

Arfak Mountain in search of bird of paradise.

Western Parotia or Arfak Parotia

Western Parotia or Arfak Parotia is the biggest show in Arfak Mountain. The male will dance to attract the female. Here is a “ballerina dance”. The dance is full of delicate steps and head waggles.

The male will dance to attract the female.
Here is a “ballerina dance”. The dance is full of delicate steps and head waggles

Magnificent Bird Of Paradise

It was not easy to see them. We visited three hides to get the shots. The first hide was hilly, and the birds were not coming out. The second hide was too near and cluttered that we could not see the bird. In the third hide, there was no bird until the last minute.

Volgekob BowerBird, Birding West Papua Bird of Paradise.

This rather uncolorful Bowerbird is also a bird of paradise. It collects different colored objects to decorate its nest.

Other birds we photographed in Arfak.

Mountain Owlet-nightjar
Feline Owlet-nightjar
Blue-gray Robin
white-faced Robin
Ornate Melidectes
long-tailed honey-buzzard

Ornate Melidectes feeding on the banana flower

Day 6,7,8,9 Magalufuk, Birding West Papua, Bird of Paradise

We flew back to Sorong and enjoyed a sumptuous seafood lunch at Mombrano before riding a 4X4 Hikux to Magalufuk. We did not know that we had to hike 3.5 km to the village,

Magnificent Riflebird Bird of Paradise

We missed the bird because we were late. We got it right the second time. The female came to the branch first, and the male followed with its display to attract the female. It was a heart-stopping moment when the male bird started to open and wave its wings in front of the female bird. In those moments, my camera fired 400 shots.

King Bird of Paradise.

It is the smallest bird of paradise in the lowland area but not easy to photograph. Blue-footed with two beautiful elongated blue tails. We need to climb up a three-stories platform to get a better view. It is a neck-breaking exercise.