Indonesia: Java and Sumatra

Indonesia is the largest archipelago of islands in the world and ranks fourth for the number of bird species by country (Birdlife International, 2019) and has more endemic bird species (528!) than any other country. Sumatra and Java in particular has some of the most biodiverse forests. Our tour to Indonesia offers the chance to see new and wonderful birds, as well as other great wildlife, and experience a vibrant and fascinating culture.

Java is one of the most populous places on earth, but extensive areas of well-protected habitat remain and we’ll visit a selection of these reserves. Our main focus will be the fabulous Gunung Gede National Park, which encompasses the impressive volcanoes Gunung (Mount) Gede and Gunung Pangrango, both around 10,000 feet high. Rich montane forest spreads over the flanks of the two volcanoes and holds many of the most exciting Javan endemics. We’ll also visit the tranquil Cibodas Botanic Gardens, where another fine selection of endemics awaits us.

Closer to Jakarta we’ll explore local coastal sites, including Muara Angke, a tiny remnant oasis of marshland of about 65 acres that’s well known as one of the few remaining sites for the rare Sunda Coucal. In the same area a few scattered pools often hold Javan Plovers, so we’ll search for them too. Lastly we’ll visit the attractive resort area of Carita, a coastal site where we can find a handful of lowland Javan endemics and enjoy the sea air and beautiful vistas.

Sumatra is a huge island, over 600 miles long, and with more than 600 bird species it offers excellent birding opportunities. Our first destination, Way Kambas National Park, is a large area consisting of a mixture of lowland forest, open grassland, and peat swamp forest. This important park is one of the best in Asia for nightbirds, and we’ll make an effort to find as many as we can. It also protects more than 50 mammal species, the most important of which are Sumatran Rhinoceros, Sumatran Elephant, Malayan Tapir, and the incomparable Sumatran Tiger, which is sadly now very rare. We’ll trek into the swamp forest during the day in our quest to find the increasingly rare White-winged Duck, along with the many other highlights that lie in store.

Kerinci-Seblat National Park lies in the middle of the Barisan Mountain Range and protects a large expanse of forest on the flanks of Gunung Kerinci, which at almost 12,500 feet is the highest mountain in Sumatra. This area is home to the remarkable Minangkabau people, devout Muslims and the world’s most populous matrilineal society. Three-quarters of Sumatra’s endemic birds have been recorded here, so naturally it is a very popular place with birders. The mixed flocks are often spectacular, and one of their most prominent birds is the stunning Blue Nuthatch. And we’ll search for some very special ground dwellers such as Schneider’s Pitta, Salvadori’s Pheasant and Sumatran Wren-Babbler.

After our time on Kerinci we’ll explore the Tapan Road, which passes through rich lower-elevation forest and offers us a chance to observe a very different suite of birds. We’ll bird at a  leisurely pace along the road, where the enigmatic Bronze-tailed Peacock-Pheasant is always possible.