Sorong city is the capital of Southwest Papua Province in the Republic of Indonesia. It is the main gate for visitors who travel to Raja Ampat islands for their holiday. The outskirts of Sorong is covered by forest which is the habitat of a lot of species of birds, and butterflies. Birding and butterfly watching tour can be startes in the morning from 05:00 to 10:00. For visitors who want to take longer trip, they can take the morning session (from 05:00 to 10:00) and then in the afternoon (from 14:00 to 18:00)
Visitors could take this birding tour in Sorong city before or after their trip in Raja Ampat. The shortest program is the morning birding trip that starts at 05:00 and finishes at 10:30.
As a tourist guide, I usually meet tour participants at Swissbel hotel, Aston hotel or any hotel where they stay and then arrange their trip by car to the birding site that is located around 45 minutes drive from the city. When we arrive, the light of the sky has brighten the sky. Birds begin to make sounds.They are very active in the mornings. We could walk along the edge of the forest to watch birds that feed on fruits or nectar of flowers of the surrounding forest. If there is bird of paradise, we will watch it until around 07:00. After that we will do general birding trying to find any birds in trees and shrub plants. Birds in lowland forest of Sorong regency that we usually see are Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Orange-bellied Fruit-dove, Pink-spotted Fruit-dove, Orange-fronted Fruit-dove, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Black Butcherbird, Helmeted Friarbird, Brown Oriole, and etc.
Mangrove Forest is another birding site at the outskirts of Sorong city that is the habitat of Willie Wagtail, Brown-backed Honeyeater, Olive-crowned Flowerpecker, Sahul Sunbird, Emperor Fairywren, Sacred Kingfisher, Blue-black Kingfisher, and etc.
Visitors who are interested in multiple day tour can take longer trip, usually 3 to 6 days, to watch paradise birds in Klaimis forest of Sorong regency and Batanta island or Waigeo island of Raja Ampat. Birds that can be watched include Lesser Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, King Bird of Paradise, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Red Bird of Paradise, Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Glossy-mantled Manucode and Trumpet Manucode.
If you are interested in taking a birding tour in Sorong and Raja Ampat of Southwest Papua Province of Indonesia, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp through this Contact link.