Report from West Papua
The West Papua WINGS tour of 2024 began in Jakarta with birding at Muara Angke Wildlife Reserve, where we observed 42 species including the endangered Milky Stork and endemic Sunda Coucal. Our explorations of Papua began on Biak Island, known for its unique avifauna like the Biak Paradise Kingfisher and Biak Coucal. In Jayapura, additional birding in grasslands revealed species such as the Grand Munia and White-winged Fairywren. In Wamena, the diverse habitats yielded remarkable sightings of endemic species like the Greater Lophorina and Modest Tiger-Parrot. Nimbokrang offered encounters with rare birds including the Twelve-wired, Lesser and King Birds-of-Paradise. The tour proceeded to the Arfak Mountains, where highlights included the Western Parotia and Black Sicklebill. Waigeo Island provided views of the unforgettable Wilson's Bird-of-Paradise and Red Bird-of-Paradise. And finally, in Sorong, we enjoyed sightings of the Black Lory and Blue-and-black Kingfisher, concluding our trip featuring a spectacular display of West Papua's avian diversity.
