In one of my more adventurous trips to a remote part of Indonesia, I finally went bird watching in Raja Ampat, which has been on my bucket list for birding trips. You may already know from my niche travel blog that I am an avid outdoor lover who enjoys scuba diving, trekking, hiking, and birdwatching all over the world.

Allow me to share my little experience of birding at Raja Ampat while I was on a major scuba diving trip here. How can you not do both when you visit this exotic part of Indonesia and the world?

Bird Watching in Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat is located in West Papua and has always been a dream destination or major bucket list for me, and in September 2017, this dream came true. Working with the Indonesia Ministry of Tourism under the Wonderful Indonesia Campaign for 2017, we were invited on a scuba diving adventure to three islands in the far east of Indonesia. The last stop was Raja Ampat in West Papua.

This gave me some free time, and without fail, I immediately booked a local village birdwatching guide who took me for a half-morning birding experience here in Raja Ampat. Of course, my main objective was to spot the unique Bird of Paradise, the endemic star bird here. Many bird watchers also consider it one of the top birds to spot in the world.

Raja Ampat Dive Resort, where I stayed at.

On this trip, my sole purpose for visiting Raja Ampat was scuba diving; with my free time, I utilized it to the fullest for my bird watching. I stayed at the Raja Ampat Dive Resort, and around the resort area, I must have spotted at least 10 species of birds.

Every morning, I wake up by the loud calls of the Red Bird of Paradise, Parrots, and many other canopy birds. While having coffee, I saw some lory and parrots flying above for their morning feed.

A White-bellied Cuckooshrike was spotted eating a cicada on Piaynemo Island.

West Papua is known to be a bird watchers’ paradise as over 704 bird species (as of 2016) can be found throughout Indonesia. However, my trip was only to Waisai in the Raja Ampat Regency, and thus, I could only do bird watching around here.

The balance of bird species is also incredible, as 640 islands make up the Raja Ampat Regency. Some large islands and many smaller ones attract both lowland and water birds. I could spot about 10-20 species an average day, even without trying.

A Great Frigatebird was spotted flying over my dive boat in Raja Ampat.

This place is a birding wonderland because the pristine rainforest has been preserved with very little development. The area is not crowded with villages or people, making it ideal for avian life.

The Eclectus Parrots are easily spotted in Raja Ampat.

Your guide will ask you to be extremely quiet near the area. Even when walking, you should try not to break any twigs. He will use hand signals or approach you and whisper in your ear.

At the first location, I sat for 10 minutes with no movement. But it was at the second location where I spotted two Red Birds of Paradise, which was pretty amazing, though I did not get a good photo.

I managed to photograph the Red Bird of Paradise, well, part of it only.

Luck was not on my side as time was crucial; when I spotted the Red Bird of Paradise, I could barely see them as they were plucking the top canopy leaves and, of course, blocked by the canopy.

I could get glimpses of them with my 600mm lens and Omicron Binoculars; however, I needed to wait for the right moment to photograph them, which was quite frustrating. I needed to be back at the dive resort soon for my 8:30 a.m. dive, and it was already 7:30 a.m. when I spotted the birds.

I took whatever photos I could, but I saw them through my binoculars, and they were indeed beautiful birds. Looking at the time, I had to abandon my mission and head back one hour to the resort to prepare for my dive.

Well, at least I managed to spot the Red Bird of Paradise, which motivated me to plan another trip back here.

Some of the common Willie Wagtails were spotted hanging around the resort.

Star Birds or Raja Ampat

• Wilson’s Bird of Paradise
• Red Bird of Paradise
• King Bird of Paradise
• Western Crowned Pigeon
• Western Parotia
• Northern Cassowary

A raptor is seen in the skies near Piaynemo; I can’t tell if this is a Honey-Buzzard.

Random Bird Photos Taken in Raja Ampat

A Hooded Butcherbird was spotted high on the canopy near the resort.

Pacific Reef Heron was spotted at sea just before my dive.

A Helmeted New Guinea Friarbird was spotted on a branch.

I advise only booking a one-day tour if you are here specifically for a business trip, a quick honeymoon, or even a dive trip; then, you can book this bird tour for a day. That was how I did my bird watching here, with limited time, but adamant about doing it. In the end, it was an eye-opener for me.

A Black-naped Tern flies near my dive boat.

Price for Bird Watching Tours in Raja Ampat

A Spice Imperial Pigeon was spotted on one of the trees on my trek back.

1. Generally, some flights connect from Makassar in Sulawesi directly to Sorong, the capital of West Papua. Once you arrive in Sorong, take another flight or the Bahari Ferry to Waisai Harbour.
2. From Waisai Harbour or the airport, your birdwatching guide will pick you up and send you to your resort. In simple layman’s terms, you need one whole day just to travel from Bali or Jakarta.
3. However, if you are flying in from elsewhere, be prepared to spend two days travelling to Raja Ampat one way. Usually, if you book tours, they only include pick-up from the port of entry.
4. You can also read my other article on getting to Raja Ampat, which explains everything in detail. That can give you a better idea of the travels to this part of the world.

If you are an avid bird watcher or want to see some of the most beautiful birds in the world, this place is your next destination. It was my first time setting foot in this exotic and mysterious land, and I could not resist trying a little birding.

For my bird count, I spotted at least 45 species of birds during my five days here. This includes many sea birds, raptors, and lowland birds. On my birdwatching morning trip, I counted around 25 species of birds spotted in a total of four hours.

I would pack my bags again to visit Raja Ampat in West Papua for some serious bird watching, probably for a week. Well, only some have the luxury of doing a 30-day birding tour. But I know some birders who are all out to get the world bird count numbers out and would engage on tours like that.

The good thing about birding here is that most guides are professional and know what they are doing. They are well knowledgeable about the local birds and know the best times and spots to locate them.

They also understand the difference between a bird watcher and a bird photographer. The best part is that they communicate in English, making birdwatching in Raja Ampat easy.

Piaynemo in Raja Ampat is one of the iconic places in West Papua.

Conclusion