CLASSIC SUMATRA, INDONESIA – a feast of endemics in the island’s best birding areas

PRICE INFORMATION

Birdquest Inclusions: Our tour prices include surface transportation, accommodations, meals and entrance fees.

We also include all tipping for local guides, drivers and accommodation/restaurant staff.

We also include these flights:

Bandar Lampung-Jakarta

Jakarta-Padang

Deposit: 20% of the total tour price. Our office will let you know what deposit amount is due, in order to confirm your booking, following receipt of your online booking form.

TO BOOK THIS TOUR: Click here (you will need the tour dates)

The single supplement will not apply if you indicate on booking that you prefer to share a room and there is a room-mate of the same sex available.

Single rooms may not be available at Keresek Tua for all those requesting them, as the lodge has only a limited number of rooms. Anyone having to share unexpectedly will be given an appropriate refund.

This tour is priced in US Dollars. Amounts shown in other currencies are indicative.

Air Travel To & From The Tour: Our in-house IATA ticket agency will be pleased to arrange your air travel on request, or you may arrange this yourself if you prefer.

CLASSIC SUMATRA, INDONESIA BIRDING TOUR: DETAILED ITINERARY

Classic Sumatra: Day 1  Our tour begins this afternoon at Bandar Lampung airport. Bandar Lampung is the capital of Lampung province in southern Sumatra.

(If you arranging your own flights to and from the tour, but would find it more convenient if we were to supply the domestic flights in Indonesia, we will be pleased to do so on request.)

From Bandar Lampung, we shall proceed by road to Way Kambas for a four nights stay at a pleasant lodge. On the way, we will pass through many small rural settlements and paddyfields before we catch our first sight of the forest.

Classic Sumatra: Days 2-4  Way Kambas National Park and its surroundings contain some of the most accessible lowland rainforest in Sumatra. Although most of the area has been logged in the past, the forest has recovered well and continues to host many Sundaic species.

During our stay here we will explore a variety of forested habitats. As we walk quietly through the forest we have a good chance of finding the beautiful Malayan Banded Pitta in spite of the fact that this electrically-coloured gem can somehow become almost invisible in its forest environment. We should also encounter the attractive Malayan Crested Fireback.

Higher up, in the mid-canopy and canopy, there is plenty to look for. Among the more interesting species that we may see are Little Green Pigeon, Raffles’s, Red-billed, Chestnut-breasted and Black-bellied Malkohas, Scarlet-rumped and Red-naped Trogons, the beautiful Diard’s Trogon, Banded Kingfisher and Banded and Green Broadbills. Woodpeckers are also a feature of the area and include Rufous, Checker-throated, Crimson-winged, Buff-necked and Grey-and-buff Woodpeckers as well as Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker. A diversity of flycatchers include Malaysian Pied Fantail, Rufous-winged Philentoma and the elusive Grey-chested Jungle Flycatcher.

We will also spend some time exploring swampy areas, riversides and more open forest. Birds we may well see in such habitats include Lesser Adjutant, Blue-eared and Stork-billed Kingfishers, Red-crowned Barbet, Black-and-red Broadbill (with its amazing two-tone bill), Malaysian Blue Flycatcher and White-chested Babbler.

Way Kambas is a rich locality for nocturnal species although they can be frustratingly difficult to spot (as opposed to hear) amongst the dense foliage. Reddish Scops Owl and Brown Boobook are generally straightforward, while more tricky species we will be hoping for include Large and Gould’s Frogmouths and the pretty Oriental Bay Owl. In addition, Malaysian Eared Nightjar can be seen at dawn and dusk and we also have a good chance of seeing the rare and little-known Sundaic-endemic Bonaparte’s Nightjar.

Other species we may well see at Way Kambas during our stay include Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Black-thighed Falconet, Red Junglefowl, Zebra Dove, Banded Bay and Plaintive Cuckoos, Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo, Greater Coucal, Asian Palm Swift, White-throated Kingfisher, Oriental Dollarbird, Golden-bellied Gerygone, White-breasted Wood Swallow, Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Olive-winged, Yellow-bellied and Buff-vented Bulbuls, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Slender-billed Crow, Yellow-bellied Prinia, Ashy and Rufous-tailed Tailorbirds, Black-throated, Malayan Black-capped, Short-tailed, Ferruginous, Sooty-capped, Scaly-crowned, Rufous-crowned, Moustached, Chestnut-rumped and Chestnut-winged Babblers, Fluffy-backed and Striped Tit-babblers, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Common Hill Myna, Purple-naped and Ruby-cheeked Sunbirds, Orange-bellied Flowerpecker and White-capped Munia.

We should also see a few of the more uncommon birds at Way Kambas during our visit. These include the endangered and now highly localized White-winged Duck, which still survives in small numbers in the area. It is thought the birds are mainly nocturnal, raiding the adjacent paddyfields under cover of darkness to feed. Strangely, many of the individuals at Way Kambas are partly albino. Other range-restricted species are the rare Storm’s Stork (although this is much more difficult to see in Sumatra than in Borneo) and Javan Munia. Other candidates include the colourful Crested Partridge with its punk-style crest, Oriental Darter, Jerdon’s Baza, Lesser and Grey-headed Fish Eagles, Cinnamon-headed Green Pigeon (a surprisingly difficult species to catch up with anywhere in its range), Chestnut-bellied Malkoha, Rusty-breasted Cuckoo, Black and Wrinkled Hornbills, Rufous Piculet, Common Flameback, the huge White-bellied Woodpecker, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Rufous-tailed and White-rumped Shamas, White-crowned Forktail and Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker.

Way Kambas has a large mammal list but typically only a few species are seen during a visit. Plantain Squirrel and Silvered Leaf Monkey are among the more regular sightings. Way Kambas still holds small populations of Asiatic Elephant and Tiger, but these are very unlikely to be seen.

Classic Sumatra: Day 5  This morning we will drive back to Bandar Lampung airport and catch a flight to Jakarta with an onward connection to the city of Padang, situated on the coast of western Sumatra.

From Padang, we will travel by road to the village of Kayu Aro, which will be our base for the next five nights. Although not a great distance, the roads in this remote area of Sumatra are not fast. Situated right at the foot of Gunung Kerinci, only a tea plantation lies between us and the spectacular classic cone-shaped volcano.

Classic Sumatra: Days 6-9  The moss-clad forested slopes of Gunung Kerinci, the highest peak in Sumatra and thus in all of western Indonesia, offer some of the most challenging and exciting birding in South-East Asia, which is why we devote five nights to the area (the less time you have at Kerinci, in general the less you see, even more so than usual!). The whole area is so remote and unexplored that there are even recent reports of a new species of terrestrial ape living in the forest, known to the locals as ‘orang pendek’ (Indonesian for ‘short man’). Recent surveys have also shown that there is still a population of the endangered Sumatran Rhinoceros as well as Tigers in the extensive tracts of remaining forest, though the chances of us encountering either of these species are exceedingly slim!

It was here that Schneider’s Pitta was rediscovered as recently as 1988 and amongst the other enigmatic and little-known species that occur are such gems as Salvadori’s Pheasant and Sumatran Cochoa.

Initially, we will travel through the tea plantations, where we may encounter species such as Black-winged Kite, Spotted Dove, Lesser Coucal, Long-tailed Shrike, Yellow-vented Bulbul and Scaly-breasted Munia, and into the montane forest beyond. There is a narrow though well-maintained trail that leads to the summit of the volcano.

At the forest edge, we will search for the characterful endemic Sumatran Treepie and another Sundaic endemic, the Sunda Minivet (which has nearly all-red females). Many of the birds we shall be searching for are ground dwellers, and consequently difficult to see in the luxuriant undergrowth. We will hope to see the endemic Red-billed Partridge (which is sadly now very shy due to hunting pressure) and the endemic Rusty-breasted and Sumatran Wren-Babblers (the latter a rather ‘top-heavy’ looking species that has been split from Long-billed). Wren-babblers are a prominent feature here, with Pygmy and Eyebrowed also present.

Plenty of time at Kerinci is absolutely vital! With a stay of this duration, we have a good chance of coming across two or three of the most difficult endemics, which are Schneider’s Pitta, Salvadori’s Pheasant, Bronze-tailed Peacock-Pheasant and the beautifully-coloured though incredibly rare Sumatran Cochoa.

Recently, there have even been some great sightings of the shy Sumatran Ground Cuckoo in the area!

The thrush family is well represented. As we walk along the trail we should encounter the endemic Shiny Whistling Thrush, which often seems inquisitive, and the shyer and more elusive endemic Sumatran Whistling Thrush. Lesser Shortwings are replaced at higher altitudes by White-browed Shortwings, while Sunda Blue Robins (another Sundaic endemic) occasionally flick onto the path. Additional Sundaic-endemics like the graceful Sumatran Trogon, Sunda Owlet and Indigo Flycatcher should put in an appearance, along with Fire-tufted Barbet (with its cicada-like song) and Rufous-vented Niltava.

We should frequently encounter bird parties. Blue Nuthatch, Mountain and Black-capped White-eyes (the latter a Sundaic endemic) and Sunda Warbler (another Sundaic endemic) will be regular constituents of the flocks, whilst larger birds may include Long-tailed Broadbill and occasionally Sunda Cuckoo-shrike (the latter species being endemic to the Greater Sundas). If we are extremely lucky we will also encounter Sunda Laughingthrush (another Greater Sunda endemic).

We will also visit the forest at night when we will have a chance to look for the little-known Rajah’s Scops Owl (confined to the Greater Sundas), Salvadori’s Nightjar (endemic to Sumatra and Java) and the amazing-looking endemic Pale-headed (or Sumatran) Frogmouth, though as always they will be much easier to hear than see.

Other birds which we have a good chance of seeing whilst at Gunung Kerinci include Crested Serpent Eagle, Barred Cuckoo-Dove, Common Emerald Dove, Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Oriental Cuckoo, Greater Yellownape, Maroon Woodpecker, Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike, Grey-chinned Minivet, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Lesser Racket-tailed and Ashy Drongos, Orange-spotted Bulbul (a Sundaic endemic), Grey-throated and Golden Babblers, Chestnut-capped (or Spectacled) Laughingthrush, White-browed Shrike-Babbler, Long-tailed Sibia, Mountain Leaf Warbler, Little Pied Flycatcher, White-throated Fantail and Fire-breasted Flowerpecker.

Mammals are generally not prominent here, though our sightings have included Hog-badger and Clouded Leopard! Much more likely are Sumatran Surili (or Mitred Leaf Monkey), Black-banded and Slender Squirrels and Montane Three-striped Ground Squirrel.

Classic Sumatra: Day 10  After a final morning on the slopes of Gunung Kerinci we shall drive the short distance to Sungai Penuh for a four nights stay.

Along the way, we will pass a number of paddyfields where we may encounter Purple Heron and Cattle, Intermediate and Little Egrets. Depending on when we leave Kerinci, there may be time for some initial exploration in the Sungai Penuh area.

Classic Sumatra: Days 11-13  The road between Sungai Penuh and Tapan via Mauro Sako passes some excellent forest. The forest here is at a lower elevation than the areas we will have explored at Gunung Kerinci and here we should find more endemic species which are not usually found higher up, namely Sumatran Drongo, Cream-striped, Sumatran and Spot-necked Bulbuls, and the beautiful Blue-masked Leafbird. Sumatran Leafbird has suffered from extensive trapping, so nowadays the chances of a sighting are slim.

With persistence and a bit of luck, we will encounter one or more of the rarer species found here such as Sumatran Green Pigeon (endemic to the Greater Sundas), the shy White-crowned Hornbill, the rare and little-known endemic Graceful Pitta, the poorly-known Marbled Wren-Babbler, Rufous-chested and Rufous-browed Flycatchers, and the scarce and elusive White-tailed Flycatcher. We will also have another chance to look for the secretive Bronze-tailed Peacock Pheasant and there is even a slim chance of encountering Sumatran Ground Cuckoo in this area.

We may also encounter such species as Black and Blyth’s Hawk-Eagles, Rufous-bellied Eagle, Little Cuckoo-Dove, Green-billed Malkoha, White-bellied and Giant Swiftlets, Rhinoceros and Bushy-crested Hornbills, Black-browed and Gold-whiskered Barbets, Black Laughingthrush, Spot-necked Babbler, Brown Fulvetta, Hill Prinia, Yellow-bellied Warbler, Sunda (or Lesser) Forktail, Verditer and Grey-headed Flycatchers, Black-and-crimson Oriole and Plain and Temminck’s Sunbirds.

On the lower slopes, we will search for species more typical of lowland rainforest such as Red-bearded Bee-eater and Black-crested Bulbul (the distinctive race here has a red throat and is sometimes split as Ruby-throated Bulbul), while the roadside scrub holds the Sundaic-endemic Bar-winged Prinia and Hill Prinia.

Other species we may see while exploring the Mauro Sako area include the bizarrely-shaped Silver-rumped Spinetail, Wreathed Hornbill, Red-throated, Blue-eared, Coppersmith and Sooty Barbets, Scarlet Minivet, Green Iora, Greater Green, Lesser Green and Blue-winged Leafbirds, Bronzed Drongo, Hairy-backed, Black-headed, Cinereous (split from Ashy), Grey-bellied, Streaked, Asian Red-eyed, Cream-vented and Spectacled Bulbuls, the attractive Scaly-breasted Bulbul, Crested Jayshrike (uncommon), Sangkar White-eye, Horsfield’s Babbler, Spectacled Spiderhunter and Crimson-breasted and Scarlet-backed Flowerpeckers. With a great deal of luck, we will come across the spectacular but endangered Helmeted Hornbill.

Stocky and charismatic all-black Siamang Gibbons may be seen swinging acrobatically through the foliage, advertising themselves by their varied song – a mixture of resonant booming notes and at times almost human-like cries.

Classic Sumatra: Day 14  This morning we will return to Mauro Sako to look for any species that we have not yet encountered. Afterwards, we will drive to Padang airport where the Sumatra section of our tour ends this afternoon.

(There are direct flights from Padang to Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.)