CUCULIDAE

*Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus saturatus
One or two adults were seen well on several occassions across the river at Toraut, Bogani Nani Wartabone NP, assumedly late migratory birds.

*Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis meratinus
One bird seen well in the scope at Tambun, Bogani Nani Wartabone NP and another heard at Tangkoko NP.

*Rusty-breasted Cuckoo Cacomantis sepulcralis
Fairly common and widespread, recorded at low, mid and high elevations but heard more often than seen. Recorded in all three national parks visited as well as mangrove sites around Manado. Good views at only a couple of localities.

*Gould's Bronze-cuckoo Chrysococcyx russatus
Heard calling on three occasions in the mangroves at Molas, Manado City, in the Kamarora and Tongoa area Lore Lindu NP

*Black-billed Koel Eudynamys melanorhyncha
Fairly common in low and mid elevation forest as with Rusty-breasted Cuckoo, again heard more often than seen. Good views were had near Tongoa, Lore Lindu NP and Tumbun and Toraut areas, Bogani Nani Wartabone NP. Calling throughout the night at Kamarora HQ and Toraut HQ. Not recorded at high altitude.

*Drongo Cuckoo Surniculus lugubris
One seen in the scope along Matanyanan Rd, Bogani Nani Wartabone NP area; another heard in the Tangkoko NP

*Channel-billed Cuckoo Scythrops novaehollandiae
The only record was two birds seen by one of our party on the western outskirts of Manado City, early in the tour.


*Fiery-billed Malkola Phaenicophaeus calyorhynchus
Moderately common in low, mid and high elevation forest, recorded in all three national parks with many great views. Seen most consistently in Toraut area in Bogani Nani Wartabone NP. An impressive bird with a peculiar little chattering call.

*Lesser Coucal Centropus bengalensis
Fairly common and widespread in low and mid elevations, mainly in secondary growth and Rdside scrub; greatest numbers in Toraut area, Bogani Nani Wartabone NP.

*Bay Coucal Centropus celebensis
Moderately common and widespread in low and mid elevation forest, recorded in three national parks visited; seen well around Kamarora HQ, Lore Lindu NP and Toraut HQ, Bogani Nani Wartabone NP. Its haunting call was heard at night around Toraut HQ

TYTONIDAE

*Sulawesi Masked Owl Tyto rosenbergii
Appears to be moderately common and widespread in low and mid elevations in clearings and open areas adjacent to forest and secondary growth. Hunts in the open areas at night. Heard calling in two different localities around Kamarora HQ, Lore Lindu NP; heard regularly and two birds seen at Toraut HQ, Bogani Nani Wartabone NP; heard calling near the mangroves at Molas, Manado; and a massive female on the Rd at night while we were en route to Tangkoko NP. It would seem that the female is much darker than the illustration in Coates and Bishop. Except for the size, it could easily be mistaken for Minnahasa Masked Owl. In respect to the dark coloration of the female, Sulawesi Masked Owl would appear to be similar to the Australian Masked Owl, where the female is much darker than the male, at least in the south of its range.

STRIGIDAE

*Sulawesi Scops Owl Otus manadensis
Moderately common in low and mid elevation forest; heard in all three national parks visited; pair seen well in the Tongoa area, Lore Lindu NP ; about three calling at Kamarora HQ; another seen well at Toraut HQ and several calling nightly. A cute little owl.

*Ochre-bellied Boobook Ninox ochracea
Heard at several localities around Kamarora HQ, Lore Lindu and an excellent view of one at roost, during the day, along the waterfall trail. Also heard at Toraut HQ, Bogani Nani Wartabone NP. Nice owl.

CAPRIMULGIDAE

*Satanic Nightjar Eurostopodus diabolicus
A pair flushed during the day from fallen timber along the Anaso Rd. One landed behind cover while the other flew only a few feet further along the log and landed in full view. Seemingly a quiet nightjar, behaves differently from any of the Australian Caprimulgidae. Sits tight - we had already walked past the logs at least twice without flushing them. It was a fortuitous sighting because one of our party had not had satisfactory views of the Shortwing otherwise he would not have been thrashing around during the lunch-break!

*Great-eared Nightjar Eurostopodus macrotis
Fairy common and widespread in low and mid elevation forest, heard calling in all three national parks visited; seen well flying over the fishpond at dusk at Toraut HQ, Bogani Nani Wartabone NP.

*Sulawesi Nightjar Caprimulgus celebensis
Seen well at two localities, singularly in the mangroves at Molas, Manado, and around the clearing along the coast trail, Tangkoko. Their call is quite distinct from the Large-tailed Nightjar , both the Australian and S.E. Asian birds.

APODIDAE

*Uniform Swiftlet Collocalia vanikorensis
Common and widespread in low to mid elevations

*Moluccan Swiftlet Collocalia infuscata
Common and widespread in low to mid elevation; perhaps not as common as the previous species.

*Glossy Swiftlet Collocalia esculenta
Common only at mid to high elevation; recorded in good numbers along the Anaso Rd, Lore Lindu NP and Matayangan in the Bogani Nani Wartabone NP.

*Purple Needletail Hirundapus celebensis
Started to worry about this species when we didn't sight it at Lore Lindu NP were it appears to be mainly seen. However, good numbers were had in the Bogani Nani Wartabone NP area. Small numbers flew over low at Toraut HQ and good numbers were present along the Matayangan Rd, mainly high up but some nice looks were had here as well. Up to 50 birds where seen in this area.

*House Swift Apus nipalensis
Only one seen, Tangkoko NP

*Asian Palm Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis
Around six at Tambun, Bogani Nani Wartabone NP - the only sighting.

HEMIPROCNIDAE

*Grey-rumped Tree Swift Hemiprocne longipennis
Fairly common and widespread at low to mid elevation

ALCEDINIDAE

*Green-backed Kingfisher Actenoides monachus
One only sighted, a nice adult spotted on our first day by our guide Freddy, along one of the trails in Tangkoko NP.

*Lilac-cheeked Kingfisher Cittura cyanotis
Around six including an adult with a juvenile in the forest across the river at Toraut., Bogani Nani Wartabone NP. Difficult to see but our native guides had the knack of spotting them sitting there in the mid-storey. Probably another heard at Tangkoko NP.

*Ruddy Kingfisher Halcyon coromanda
What a bird! One adult seen briefly from the road at a creek crossing along Matayangan Rd and another immature seen very well along the river at national park headquarters at Tangkoko NP.

*Great-billed Kingfisher Halcyon melanorhyncha
Certainly a mean bill! Tantalizing views of two birds in the mangroves at Molas, Manado; another nice look at an adult along the river at Toraut HQ and another seen near the fish pond. Finally a group of three (trash birds now!) in the mangroves at Mantehagi Island, Manado Bay

*Collared Kingfisher Halcyon chloris
Common and widespread at low to mid elevations

*Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher Ceyx fallax
A nice adult on our first day at Tangkoko, then another two seen, from every angle, in the forest at Toraut HQ, Bogani Nani Wartabone NP. All spotted by our native guides. A spectacular bird.

*Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
One at ponds en route to Lore Lindu NP and several seen regularly in the Toraut - Kosinggolon area, Bogani Nani Wartabone NP; one along the river at park headquarters, Tangkoko NP

MEROPIDAE

*Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus
Several nice looks at this beautiful Bee-eater when driving between Lore Lindu and Palu. A few also around Kamarora

*Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus
Low numbers at Tangkoko, Kamarora, en route to Toraut, and on Mantehagi Island

*Purple-beaded Bee-eater Meropogon forsteni
Quite a spectacular bird when seen in good light. About three seen in the Dongi Dongi area; another two along the Anaso Rd - all in Lore Lindu NP; one high up in heavy forest over the river at Toraut, Bogani Nani Wartabone NP.

CORACIIDAE

*Purple-winged Roller Cocacias temminckii
A few seen in all three national parks visted, in low to mid elevation forest; seen in the scope at all three localities but never did see as much color as in Coates & Bishop. The bill is much more stout than Dollarbird

*Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
A couple around the mangroves at Molas, Manado and one on Mantehagi Island, Manado Bay

BUCEROTIDAE

*Sulawesi Dwarf Hornbill Peneopides exarhatus
Much less common than Knobbed Hornbill; seen on three occasions; a group of about five in the Tongoa area, Lore Lindu NP; a group of about four in the forest at Toraut HQ, Bogani Nani Wartabone NP; one seen well in Tangkoko NP

*Knobbed Hornbill Rhyticeros cassidix
Fairly common and widespread but what a joy to behold! Not too easy to see well for such a huge bird- amazing how they can hide in the canopy. Seen in all three national parks visited in low to mid elevation forest; highest numbers (c10) in Dongi Dongi area, Lore Lindu NP and along Matayangan Rd, Bogani Nani Wartabone NP.

 

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