Sooty-headed Bulbul in the Farmland of Minahasa

In Minahasa highland of North Sulawesi, Sooty-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster) is one of the most common birds that people can see in cities, towns and villages. 

In Greek, the term Pynonotus is formed from two words, i.e. puknos which means thick or compact; and nōtos meaning backed (nōton back). The term aurigaster consists of two Latin words: aurum meaning gold, and gaster meaning belly.

People in Indonesia call it Kutilang. According to e-bird, Sooty-headed Bulbul is considered as a sensitive bird. As a matter of fact, the bird is not sensitive at all in Minahasa peninsula.  

Sooty-headed Bulbul

The songbird is traded as caged bird in several parts of Indonesia because people like listening to their songs. Sooty-headed Bulbul. This bird helps farmers by feeding on insects in farmland areas. However, it can also be considered as pets because it eats fruit. 

Sooty-headed Bulbul in Sonder town of Minahasa regency

There are also other common birds that we can see in Minahasa highland especially throughout its small towns and villages. They include Eurasian Treesparrow, Sahul Sunbird, Slender-billed Crow, Cattle Egret, and Zebra Dove. 

As a tourist guide in Minahasa regency of North Sulawesi, I offer birdwatching tour for visitors who want to watch the avifauna of this region. 

Birdwatching is an interesting tourism activity for nature lovers. Visitors can watch various species of birds as well as other animals when walking in outdoor environment. 

Sonder town in Minahasa regency

The highland of Minahasa has got a lot of beautiful landscapes. Tour participants can enjoy birdwatching and at the same time seeing the beautiful nature of the highland.

If you are interested in exploring the farmland and forest Minahasa for birdwatching and sightseeing, please, contact me Charles Roring by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Also read:

• Warbling White-eye
• Birding in Sonder of Minahasa
• Sooty-headed Bulbul
• Collared Kingfisher 

Warbling White-eye

I often do birdwatching trip in Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa highland. One of the birds that I see is Warbling White-eye (Zosterops japonicus). This is a small bird that likes to hop on the twigs of shrub plants that grow along the roadside of hills in Minahasa. 

Warbling White-eye

According to ebird, this bird can be found in Indonesian islands, the Philipines, coastal area of China, Taiwan, Japan, Korean peninsula and even upto Russian Far Fast.  In Wikipedia, it says that the bird is omnivorous meaning that it eats various kinds of food from berries to insects and seeds. Therefore, ecologically, the bird plays very important role as seed dispersers and as predator of small insects that are often considered by farmers as pest. So, this tiny bird is an unsung hero in agriculture. 

Warbling White-eye

In Minahasa highland, this Warbling White-eye lives in the mountains where the daily temperature is cools. 

The bird has got olive head, neck and wings with bright yellow throat and white-grayish underparts. It has got black pointy bill and white-eye ring. 

In addition to Warbling White-eye, other birds that I see during my birding walk in Minahasa highland include Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, Superb Fruit-dove, Sulawesi Drongo, White-eyed Drongo, Crimson Sunbird, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, Citrine Canary Flycatcher, Sulawesi Bush Warbler, Gray-sided Flowerpecker, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker and a lot more. 

As a tourist guide, I offer birdwatching and butterfly watching tours to tourists who plan to visit Manado city in North Sulawesi province of Indonesia. 

If you are interested in taking a vacation to Indonesia and want to me organize your nature tour in Minahasa highland, you could contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by e-mail to peace4wp@gmail.com. 

Nature Tour Around Manado City

As a tourist guide, I offer nature tours around North Sulawesi province of Indonesia. The outskirts of Manado city consist of hills and farmlands. They are attractive for visitors who want to see beautiful nature, watch birds and butterflies as well as see wonderful view of the landscape or seascape around Manado city. Here are some of them:

• Makatete Hills - located in the south of Manado city, this place can be reached by car or motorcycle. From Sam Ratulangi International Airport, it takes around 50 minutes to reach it when the traffic is not congested. Visitors can enjoy the beautiful view of Manado city while having a cup of tea or coffee with some fried bananas at the café that is built on the hill.

Makatete Hills are located in the south of Manado city

• Another site near Manado city that offers magnificent view of the sea and Bunaken islands is Mount Tumpa. Visitors could see Bunaken, Siladen, Manado Tua, Mantehage and Nain. In addition to enjoying the beautiful view of the seascape of Manado city, visitors could enjoy watching birds and butterflies of North Sulawesi in Mount Tumpa. There are such birds as Zebra Dove, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Red Jungle Fowl, Green Imperial Pigeon, Pale Blue Monarch, Slender-billed Crow, Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon, Finch-billed Myna and etc. 

Tunan Waterfall

• Tunan Waterfall - This natural tourist attraction is located near Sam Ratulangi International Airport. It takes around half and hour to reach the waterfall. Visitors who want to visit this place need to wear rubber boots or sandals that have grips so that they could walk along the slippery concrete path. Green plants grow along both sides of the path. Various kinds of butterflies could be seen around the waterfall. 

Farmland in Talawaan village near Manado city

• Talawaan Farmland is the land area around Talawaan village. Local people grow various kinds of crops including papaya, avocado, coconut, corn, jackfruit and etc. Visitors could walk along the road to see the green crops,  as well as watch birds and butterflies around the area. Birds such as Green Imperial Pigeon, Collared Kingfisher, Ivory-backed Woodswallow, Black-naped Fruit-dove, Slender-billed Crow, Finch-billed Myna, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove could be watched in this area. 

Minahasa Highland Tour

Birds in Minahasa Highland

Collared Kingfisher

Extended Tour to Tomohon and other places of Minahasa Highland

There are still a lot of interesting places that we could see if we extend our tour to Minahasa highland such as Tomohon town, Subdistrict Sonder, Mount Mahawu, Lake Linow, Pine Forest, Tincep Village, Langowan, and etc. 

If you are interested in taking a land tour around Manado city and up to Minahasa highland, and want me (Charles Roring) to organize your trip, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Related Posts:

• Minahasa Highland Tour
• Birding in Mount Mahawu and Lake Linow of Tomohon Municipality
• Sightseeing and Birdwatching Tour in the Ricefield of Sonder