Papua birding hotspots
Where to go birding in Papua? In declining order of
importance, its paramount centers of avian endemism are the isolated Arfak
Mountains on the Bird's Head Peninsula, the oceanic twin islands of Biak-Supiori
plus nearby Numfor in Geelvink Bay, the Snow Mountains along the central
cordillera, and the Waigeo ophiolitic suite comprising the islands of
Waigeo, Batanta and Kofiau in the Raja Ampat archipelago. Moreover, the
vast expanses of lowland forest effectively isolated to the north and
south of the central dividing range, harbor a presently still underestimated
endemism component on a grander scale.
An extensive bird watching itinerary in Papua therefore
ideally combines all these major avifaunal subregions. When restricted
by time, however, we always recommend spending longer at fewer sites as
this invariably turns out to be more rewarding. Exactly which destinations
may then depend ultimately upon your particular interests, physical strength
or personal taste of priority most-wanted species. Some of the better
known birding destinations in Papua are briefly introduced below.
 |
Arfak Mountains
This isolated and rugged mountain range in the
eastern sector of the Bird's Head Peninsula is bound to become Papua's
premier birding destination, boasting all presently described Vogelkop
endemics and providing straightforward access to largely untouched
foothill, hill and montane forests that support a varied avifauna.
Read more... |
 |
Geelvink Islands
The oceanic twin islands of Biak and Supiori in
Geelvink Bay harbor the most highly endemic avifauna of any singular
land area in the New Guinea region with 12 endemic taxa now widely
accepted at the species level. Five of these are being shared with
nearby Numfor Island which boasts its own endemic paradise-kingfisher.
Read more... |
 |
Snow Mountains
A superb selection of New Guinea's wonderfully
diverse montane avifauna can be seen in the Wamena area of the Snow
Mountains, the heartland of the Dani people, who cultivated the
80 km long and up to 20 km wide Grand Balim upland valley completely
unnoticed by the outside world until as recently as 1938.
Read more... |
 |
Waitanta
At the northern end of the Raja Ampat archipelago,
Waigeo and Batanta, once fused to a single landmass 'Waitanta',
support a varied lowland and hill forest avifauna with a peculiar
endemism component. Nearly mythical feathered life forms like Bruijn's
Brush-turkey Aepypodius bruijnii, Wilson's Cicinnurus
respublica and Red Bird of Paradise Paradisaea rubra
all call Waitanta home.
Read more... |
 |
Kofiau
Situated roughly mid-way between Halmahera and
the Bird's Head Peninsula, still within the Raja Ampat group, this
rarely visited oceanic island features a generally rather depauperate
avifauna with a decidedly Moluccan influence, yet importantly also
includes two endemic allospecies: the delightful Kofiau Paradise-Kingfisher
Tanysiptera ellioti and the Kofiau Monarch Monarcha
julianae.
Read more... |
 |
Northern lowlands
The vast flat alluvial lowland forests west of
the Cyclops Mountains near Jayapura are an excellent place to secure
a wonderful selection of New Guinea's northern lowlands specialties,
including Victoria Crowned-Pigeon Goura victoria, actually
the world's largest pigeon, and the little-known Pale-billed Sicklebill
Epimachus bruijnii.
Read more... |
 |
Trans-Fly and Wasur NP
Many key birds of New Guinea's southern lowlands,
including the delightful Southern Crowned-Pigeon Goura scheepmakeri
and the Greater Bird of Paradise Paradisaea apoda, can
be seen in and around the famous Wasur National Park near Merauke,
which supports a variety of wetlands, savanna and monsoon forest
types, and is a haven for staging and wintering waders and waterfowl.
Read more... |
|
