top of page

Indonesia: Lesser Sundas - Birding Tour

Tour Overview:

Highlights on Sumba could include the eponymous hornbill, buttonquail and green-pigeon, the subtle Apricot-breasted Sunbird, spectacular Red-naped Fruit Dove and sharp Cinnamon-banded Kingfisher, as well as a trio of endemic flycatchers. Flores may reveal the massive Flores Hawk-Eagle, aptly-named Glittering (or White-rumped) Kingfisher, oddly skulking forest-interior Flores Crow, extremely local Flores Monarch, loud Bare-throated Whistler, mini, pitta–like Russet-capped Tesia, and a series of white-eyes only found there. This also offers our best chance at the strident Elegant Pitta, and shy Chestnut-capped Thrush. Timor is the driest of the islands, and here we start to see Aussie influences in the avifauna, like four endemic honeyeaters. Other endemics include, Timor (White-bellied) Bush-chat, Buff-banded Bushbird (Timor Thicketbird), Timor (Warbling-) Blue-Flycatcher, the striking Orange-banded Thrush, handsome Black-banded Flycatcher, and smart Timor Sparrow. Two minor islands will be visited too, first Rote for its three endemic birds, Rote Myzomela (formally entered as a species on to the Clements list in August 2018), Rote Leaf Warbler (due to be recognized very soon) and Rote (Southern) Boobook. That latter island can also be good for “Timor” birds, like Slaty (Black) Cuckoo-Dove, Green (Timor) Figbird and Timor Oriole. Finally, Komodo will be day-tripped by private boat for its namesake dragon, and also the critically endangered Yellow-crested Cockatoo, as well as a chance to snorkel in the clear blue waters of the Flores Sea.