Birding Tour Indonesia: Bali and East Java – Bali Myna and Other Rare Regional Specials

Our small-group Bali birding tour, that also incorporates plenty of time birdwatching in East Java, is full of incredible endemic bird species and highly sought-after endemic subspecies, many with a high chance of elevation to full species status. This tour starts and ends in Denpasar, Bali (known as the “Islands of the Gods” and where Andy now calls home), visiting the island’s only national park – the famed Bali Barat National Park and then also visits several other important mountain and lowland birding sites, including mangroves, rice paddies, estuaries, lowland rainforest, and gorgeous montane forest. In Java we will bird some spectacular mountain forest, lowland forests, mangroves, and savanna as we bird at Mount Ijen, Baluran National Park, and Alas Purwo National Park.

Bali Myna, is a Critically Endangered (BirdLife International) endemic found on just the island of Bali in Indonesia where it persists in a few remote locations.

The list of top target birds on this tour is huge and includes many mega world birds. One of the main tour highlights is sure to be Bali Myna, this Critically Endangered (BirdLife International) bird is arguably one of the rarest and most-wanted starlings in the world, along with Black-winged Starling (“Grey-rumped” and “Grey-backed” subspecies – both heading the same way as the Bali Myna in terms of their conservation status). Other passerine highlights include Javan Banded Pitta, (Javan) Banded Broadbill, Yellow-eared Barbet, Black-banded Barbet, Flame-fronted Barbet, Sunda Cuckooshrike, Javan Cuckooshrike, Sunda Minivet, Scarlet (Javan) Minivet, Hair-crested (Javan Spangled) Drongo, Javan Bulbul, Brown-cheeked Bulbul, Ruby-throated Bulbul, Javan Black-capped Babbler, Javan Scimitar Babbler, Crescent-chested Babbler, Blue Nuthatch, Sunda Warbler, Javan Bush Warbler, Sunda Forktail, White-crowned (Javan) Forktail, Javan Blue Flycatcher, Javan Whistling Thrush, Scaly (Horsfield’s) Thrush, Sunda Thrush, Crested Jayshrike (formerly called Crested Jay and newly promoted to monotypic family status in 2022), Slender-billed (Sunda) Crow, Blood-breasted (Javan) Flowerpecker, Javan Leafbird, Javan Munia, and Java Sparrow.

Java Sparrow has been introduced in several locations around the world, such as Hawaii and Thailand, but its natural range is restricted to just Java and Bali.

The list of potential non-passerine highlights is just as vast and includes Grey-breasted (White-faced) Partridge, Green Junglefowl, (Javan) Green Peafowl, Sunda Teal, Javan Hawk-Eagle, Javan Owlet, Beach Stone-curlew, Javan Plover, Great-billed Heron, Lesser Adjutant, White-tailed Tropicbird, Christmas Frigatebird, Pink-headed Fruit Dove, Black-naped Fruit Dove, Banded Fruit Dove, Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon, Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon, Orange-breasted Green Pigeon, Cave Swiftlet, Sunda Cuckoo, Sunda Coucal, Javan Kingfisher, Cerulean Kingfisher, Javan Flameback, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Crimson-winged Woodpecker, Checker-throated Woodpecker (Javan Yellownape), Grey-and-buff Woodpecker, Buff-rumped (Zebra) Woodpecker, Oriental (Sunda) Pied Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Rhinoceros Hornbill, and Yellow-throated Hanging Parrot.

The stunning Javan Kingfisher is found only in Java and Bali.

We offer several Indonesian birdwatching tours and you could easily combine this Bali and Java tour with our short and relaxed-birding Indonesia: Lombok Extension – Rinjani Scops Owl Premium Tour, which runs immediately prior to this tour and looks for Rinjani Scops Owl, Wallacean (Lombok Spangled) Drongo, and Ornate Pitta amongst other targets. Or you could follow it up with our Indonesia: The Lesser Sunda Islands – Comprehensive Tour (which visits the islands of Sumba, Timor, Rote, Alor, Flores, and Komodo). This tour visits remote parts of the archipelago, which are a hotbed of endemic birdlife. Some of the highlights of this tour include Bare-throated Whistler, Elegant Pitta, Sumba Hornbill, Sumba Buttonquail, Rote Myzomela, Alor Myzomela, “Mt Mutis Parrotfinch” (a currently undescribed species), Black-banded Flycatcher, Flores Hawk-Eagle, Flores Crow, Flores Monarch, and Yellow-crested Cockatoo. It is also a great tour for endemic owls, with Little Sumba Hawk-Owl, Sumba Boobook, Rote Boobook, Alor Boobook, Flores Scops Owl, and Wallace’s Scops Owl all good possibilities, and we must not forget the giant Komodo Dragons!