Arfak Mountains
The northeastern region of the Bird’s Head or
Vogelkop peninsula is made up of an isolated yet massive, more or less
continuous mountain chain. The name ‘Tamrau’ applies to the
western portion, bisected by the grassy Kebar Valley, heartland of the
indigenous Karoon people. The Tamrau Mountains have been very scantily
surveyed for any purpose till this day. In contrast, the easternmost sector,
known as the Arfak Mountains — ‘Arfak’ meaning little
more than ‘interior’ in the language of the coastal Biak people
— is since Dutch colonial times one of the most frequently explored
and best known regions of western New Guinea.
As a consequence of this factor, and because they support
all presently described Vogelkop endemics as well as provide straightforward
access to largely untouched foothill, hill and montane forests that support
a wonderfully diverse avifauna, the rugged Arfak Mountains are bound to
become Papua’s premier birding destination. In the northeastern
watershed these mountains rise steeply from the sea — little or
no coastal plain being present here — to reach a high point on Mount
Humeibo (2,820 m), which, when viewed from the provincial capital and
gateway Manokwari — the ‘Dorey’ of former days —
is nearly hidden by Mount Tumyobou (2,480 m). Hatam, Meyah and Sougb tribal
people, who speak mutually unintelligible languages, all call the Arfaks
home, and ultimately are the guardians of the future of these mountains’
exquisite yet increasingly threatened birdlife.
The Bird’s Head region, which for our purpose comprises
the actual Bird’s Head peninsula plus the Bomberai and Wandammen
peninsulas as far east as the ‘Zoogeographer’s Gap’,
harbors 10 endemic bird species, all of which occur in the Arfak area.
Among these are the Vogelkop Bowerbird Amblyornis inornatus with
its awesome, elaborately decorated bowers, the beautiful and little-known
Arfak Astrapia Astrapia nigra, the rare Long-tailed Paradigalla
Paradigalla carunculata, easily overlooked when not vocalizing,
and the violently enrapturing Western Parotia Parotia sefilata.
In addition, the Bird’s Head boasts 21 species with a restricted
range, 15 of which can be seen in the Arfaks. In total, more than 320
bird species have so far been recorded from the Arfak region.
Vogelkop endemic birds (10 species)
White-striped Forest-Rail Rallina leucospila
Vogelkop Bowerbird Amblyornis inornatus
Vogelkop Melidectes Melidectes leucostephes
Western Smoky Honeyeater Melipotes gymnops
Vogelkop Scrubwren Sericornis rufescens
Vogelkop Whistler Pachycephala meyeri
Long-tailed Paradigalla Paradigalla carunculata
Western Parotia Parotia sefilata
Arfak Astrapia Astrapia nigra
Grey-banded Munia Lonchura vana
Restricted-range species (15 species)
Red-billed Talegalla Talegalla cuvieri
Red-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher Tanysiptera nympha
Black Lory Chalcopsitta atra
Modest Tiger-Parrot Psittacella modesta
Archbold’s Nightjar Eurostopodus archboldi
Western Crowned-Pigeon Goura cristata
Chestnut Forest-Rail Rallina rubra
Rufous-sided Honeyeater Ptiloprora erythropleura
Cinnamon-browed Melidectes Melidectes ochromelas
Smoky Robin Peneothello cryptoleucus
Green-backed Robin Pachycephalopsis hattamensis
Painted Quail-thrush Cinclosoma ajax
Greater Melampitta Melampitta gigantea
Olive-crowned Flowerpecker Dicaeum pectorale
Obscure Berrypecker Melanocharis arfakiana
Widespread goodies
Dwarf Cassowary Casuarius bennetti
Northern Cassowary Casuarius unappendiculatus
Wattled Brush-turkey Aepypodius arfakianus
Salvadori’s Teal Salvadorina waigiuensis
Shovel-billed Kookaburra Clytoceyx rex
Rufous-throated Bronze-Cuckoo Chrysococcyx ruficollis
White-eared Bronze-Cuckoo Chrysococcyx meyeri
Yellow-capped Pygmy-Parrot Micropsitta keiensis
Red-breasted Pygmy-Parrot Micropsitta bruijnii
Large Fig-Parrot Psittaculirostris desmarestii
Blue-collared Parrot Geoffroyus simplex
Pesquet’s Parrot Psittrichas fulgidus
Moluccan King-Parrot Alisterus amboinensis
Sooty Owl Tyto tenebricosa
Wallace's Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles wallacii
Barred Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles bennettii
Mountain Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles albertisi
Large Owlet-Nightjar Aegotheles insignis
New Guinea Bronzewing Henicophaps albifrons
Cinnamon Ground-Dove Gallicolumba rufigula
Bronze Ground-Dove Gallicolumba beccarii
Thick-billed Ground-Pigeon Trugon terrestris
Pheasant Pigeon Otidiphaps nobilis
Lewin’s Rail Lewinia pectoralis
Spotless Crake Porzana tabuensis
New Guinea Woodcock Scolopax rosenbergii
Black-mantled Goshawk Accipiter melanochlamys
New Guinea Eagle Harpyopsis novaeguineae
Papuan Treecreeper Cormobates placens
Masked Bowerbird Sericulus aureus
Black-throated Honeyeater Lichenostomus subfrenatus
Garnet Robin Eugerygone rubra
Black-chinned Robin Poecilodryas brachyura
Blue-grey Robin Peneothello cyanus
White-rumped Robin Peneothello bimaculatus
Ashy Robin Heteromyias albispecularis
New Guinea Logrunner Orthonyx novaeguineae
Spotted Jewel-Babbler Ptilorrhoa leucosticta
Blue Jewel-Babbler Ptilorrhoa caerulescens
Chestnut-backed Jewel-Babbler Ptilorrhoa castanonota
Mottled Whistler Rhagologus leucostigma
Rusty Whistler Pachycephala hyperythra
Hooded Pitohui Pitohui dichrous
Crested Pitohui Pitohui cristatus
Black Pitohui Pitohui nigrescens
Glossy-mantled Manucode Manucodia atra
Crinkle-collared Manucode Manucodia chalybata
Trumpet Manucode Manucodia keraudrenii
Black Sicklebill Epimachus fastuosus
Black-billed Sicklebill Epimachus albertisi
Magnificent Riflebird Ptiloris magnificus
Superb Bird of Paradise Lophorina superba
Magnificent Bird of Paradise Cicinnurus magnificus
King Bird of Paradise Cicinnurus regius
Lesser Bird of Paradise Paradisaea minor
Great Wood-swallow Artamus maximus
Rufous Monarch Monarcha rubiensis
Torrent Lark Grallina bruijni
Related links
Read on about our short birding
break to the Arfak Mountains.
Read on about our Amazing
Arfak birding expedition to the Arfak Mountains.
Read on about our other prolonged birding
expeditions visiting the Arfak Mountains.
Read on about our filming
expedition for Vogelkop Bowerbird in the Arfak Mountains with the
BBC Natural History Unit.
Browse our check-list
of the birds of Papua. |
