The flamingo was the final bird of our 18-day South Africa bird photography trip. During the morning session, we struggled with either facing the wrong direction or dealing with distance challenges. However, just before heading back, a few of them flew gracefully toward us in perfect light, as if bidding us farewell. We ended the trip with over 356 bird species, 20+ mammals, and several reptiles captured in photographs. It was an incredible journey filled with fun, great company, delicious food, and valuable lessons in patience (especially when waiting for meals).
While busy recovering some accidentally deleted pictures, I wanted to share part of a full series capturing this beautiful long-tailed bird’s display and mating behavior. I really enjoy watching how this bird performs—it sometimes flies vertically, resembling a stick in motion.
CANON R1, CANON RF100500mm, 1.4x South Africa update 202501 Finally, I’m back from my South Africa tour! One of the most fascinating “common” birds we encountered was the Pin-tailed Whydah. While it’s not a rare species, its long tail and unique flying style captured our attention more than any other bird. This particular moment happened while we were in the car—yes, shooting handheld through the window! After taking hundreds of photos of the male flying, displaying, and mating, I decided to switch to video. Although I recorded in 4K 60p, I slowed down the second half to highlight the incredible beauty of its dance.
A male bird with a very long tail, black-and-white plumage, and a striking red beak is hard to miss. While the local guide claimed it was common, we didn’t spot many during our first seven days. However, we were fortunate to see one performing a display for a female, which thrilled everyone. Capturing the moment from the car was quite challenging, but it was an unforgettable experience.
The overall green coloration, accompanied by a low crest and blue body, is a key target for our group. In the first few days, it seemed fairly common, as its calls and presence could be heard and seen by everyone. However, capturing a photograph proved to be quite challenging—much like our Malkoha, it kept moving between the trees and bushes. Fortunately, just before the heavy rain, we were lucky enough to find one that stayed still for a while, allowing us to capture it.
A fairly common coucal found in South Africa, which I’ve seen and photographed multiple times in various locations. However, this was a closer encounter, and I managed to capture a full series of flight shots. The distinctive tail band markings are clearly visible, making it easy to differentiate this species from others.
5. European Roller, 蓝胸佛法僧, 藍胸佛法僧, Coracias garrulus, ニシブッポウソウ
update 20501
In South Africa’s western region, this season is perfect for birdwatching as many common species are abundant. It’s been an enjoyable time spotting various targets, with the bonus of encountering a few truly stunning birds along the way.
A small whydah with a reddish-orange bill and legs. The breeding male has buffy-orange underparts and neck, a dark cap, and 17-centimeter-long black tail feathers. The female and non-breeding male have streaky upperparts and pale buffy underparts. Breeding males hold territories in dry thorn scrub, but form flocks with other seedeaters after breeding. The species imitates the song of the Violet-eared Waxbill, which it parasitizes. Differs from the similar Pin-tailed Whydah by Shaft-tailed Whydah’s duller pink bill and streakier head in female and non-breeding male plumages, and black-and-buff plumage of the breeding male. [EBird]
What a beautiful little bird with its unique four racket-shaped tail feathers! Unfortunately, I couldn’t manage to capture any great shots of it this time. It’s definitely on my photography bucket list if I get the chance to visit Africa again. Despite the whole day of rain, we were lucky enough to witness some wonderful moments of it in flight.
A small, greenish cuckoo. The male has barred flanks, white flecking on the wing, white patches in front of and behind the eye, and a distinctly red eye surrounded by a red eye-ring. The bronzy-green female has a diagnostic white patch in front of the eye, a plain back, and white patches in the wings. This common resident and migrant is not a habitat specialist, but it prefers riverine and wetland areas where its preferred brood-parasite hosts, weavers and bishops, are common. The distinctive call is a loud, rising, high-pitched “deee-deee-deee-deee-dederik”. [EBird]
A very beautiful and common cuckoo, often heard in almost any environment. However, it rarely perches because its calls attract other birds, especially weavers, that chase it away. The best chances to spot it are while it’s in flight, and we were fortunate to see it flying past us many times.
The flamingo was the final bird of our 18-day South Africa bird photography trip. During the morning session, we struggled with either facing the wrong direction or dealing with distance challenges. However, just before heading back, a few of them flew gracefully toward us in perfect light, as if bidding us farewell. We ended the trip with over 356 bird species, 20+ mammals, and several reptiles captured in photographs. It was an incredible journey filled with fun, great company, delicious food, and valuable lessons in patience (especially when waiting for meals).
It was a rainy morning, but even after spotting our target bird, the Black Coucal, we didn’t let the weather stop us from birding. Just before our breakfast break, we were treated to great views of a Palm-nut Vulture and this tiny duck. We were lucky to see it flying around rather than staying hidden!
This bird is incredibly beautiful, and while we may have seen it before in a zoo or bird park, spotting it in the wild and capturing its photo brings an entirely different level of excitement. Though it’s considered a common species, we only managed to see it 3-4 times during our 18 days of birding in South Africa.
During our first few days near Sani Pass, this was one bird that caught our attention every time we saw it. Its bright metallic green plumage and long tail were mesmerizing (we even saw it displaying to attract a female). Among the many sunbirds we encountered, this one truly stood out as exceptionally beautiful.
A large brown francolin with a red face and streaked chest, commonly found in the lowlands of South Africa, particularly in Kruger National Park. It is abundant, tame, and often seen walking around or heard calling.
A very common francolin in Kruger National Park, we encountered it daily inside the park. It was generally very tame. Once, we saw one trying to display to impress a female, but the female seemed uninterested and ran away. After taking countless photos, we decided to capture it flying across the road — with the CANON R1, it was an effortless shot.
This beautiful Bee-eater was only spotted once, staying within the cactus area where its colors blended perfectly. I was amazed at how the camera managed to find and track the bird. I used the full-screen AF on my R1, which allowed it to detect the bird’s location effortlessly.
Here’s another true story of why I prefer using large-capacity memory cards (I’m currently using the Angelbird 1TB CFexpress B). After 18 days of birding, I returned to Malaysia and started editing my photos. That’s when I realized an entire set of pictures was missing—specifically, a series of shots of a bird in flight (it had been flying around us, and I’d managed to capture several sequences).
I checked my SSD, thinking I might have accidentally deleted the folder after downloading, but I couldn’t find anything. As a last resort, I decided to recover the images from the card. Thanks to the large capacity of the card, I had never filled it up completely, which meant the missing files were still recoverable. In the end, I managed to recover the entire series of bird-in-flight shots, as well as some photos of White Rhinos. This experience reinforced the importance of using high-capacity cards!
Fairly common throughout Kruger National Park, this bird is typically seen moving in groups. Its black-and-white plumage and long tail make it unmistakable. I was fortunate to witness a partridge attempting to scare it off and managed to capture a shot of it flying away.
16. Southern Red Bishop, 红寡妇鸟, 紅寡婦鳥, Euplectes orix, オオキンランチョウ
update 202501
One of the most common birds we encountered during our South Africa trip, yet its vibrant bright red plumage made it impossible not to admire. It became the joke of the trip when someone yelled for the car to stop, shouting, “RED Kingfisher!” From then on, everyone jokingly referred to this bird as a Kingfisher for the rest of the journey.
A tall, lanky, black-and-white stork with a unique red, yellow, and black bill. The male has dark-brown eyes, and the female has yellow eyes. In flight, the bird’s massive size, and the dark bands in the center of the white wings are diagnostic. Scarce but conspicuous; mostly resident but can be partially nomadic in parts of the range. Found singly or in pairs at rivers and large undisturbed wetlands, foraging for favorites like catfish, but it will also take frogs, birds, and insects. [Ebird]
It is one of the birds everyone of us dreams of seeing and photographing, with its beak’s vibrant colors being absolutely stunning. We were fortunate to observe it up close, offering great views and excellent photo opportunities.
another bird that I really want to photograph, shame do not have very good opportunity to have good photo but overall good view and good moment for this very special looking Bee-eater.
Before planning this Africa trip, I was really curious about how a starling could have such a vivid violet color (even though we also have the Violet Cuckoo with a similar hue). I really wanted to photograph this bird in good lighting, despite everyone saying it’s common. But in 17 days, we only had two great opportunities. Now, I’m happy with what I got—until the next visit!
Another stunning bird that caught our attention—some had lost their long tails. But this one stayed close for quite a while, giving almost everyone the chance to capture a great shot.
This is our first Turaco sighting, but it stayed hidden in the bushes for a while. After some waiting, the bird suddenly took flight. Luckily, I had the R1 ready—capturing the moment almost instantly as it happened in a split second.
It’s a stunning bird, and each of the three species we encountered on our tour instantly caught our attention. Even during lunch and shopping, the moment someone shouted “Turaco,” everyone scrambled to grab their cameras again. However, it’s not an easy bird to photograph—it moves through the bushes much like our Malkoha. Among the three species we captured, this one is the most common and, in my opinion, the most beautiful.
It was a late lunch, and the “sushi” took nearly two hours to arrive! But luckily, as we walked into the restaurant, I spotted a Hornbill nesting. I managed to get a few flight shots just by sitting at the table while waiting for lunch. Meanwhile, others went straight to the nest, hoping for a better feeding moment. A small but noisy Hornbill!
This species is very common around Cape Town—we easily spotted it along the roadside on our way to the hills and inside the Botanical Garden. It’s incredibly tame, showing no concern for humans. Its feather pattern is simply stunning, making it look truly beautiful.
As usual, this large and conspicuous stork stands out. It is commonly found in both urban areas and forests. Watching it slowly walk across the golf course provided us with a great photo opportunity.
A remarkable bird that resembles a crane or stork with long legs but has more of a raptor-like appearance. It’s one of my main targets—I’ve had a few sightings but haven’t captured great photos yet. However, I’m sure I’ll dedicate more time to this bird on my future trips to Africa.
27. Bank Cormorant, 岸鸬鹚, 堤鸕鷀, Phalacrocorax neglectus, ハナグロウ
update 202502
We only spotted this bird in Cape Town. It appears completely black, though from certain angles, the “white rump” can be seen. It’s a unique species and surprisingly easy to find, but only in that one location.
One of the colorful starlings of South Africa, this bird displays bright metallic colors whether standing or flying. It’s a stunningly beautiful and common species.
南非色彩斑斓的椋鸟之一，这种鸟无论站立还是飞行，都展现出明亮的金属光泽。它是一种美丽而常见的鸟类。
202501,
Kruger National Park, South Africa
31. Green Woodhoopoe, 绿林戴胜, 綠林戴勝, Phoeniculus purpureus, ミドリモリヤツガシラ
The only possible trogon for our South Africa trip, we spotted it just once—and in heavy rain! Despite the downpour, it kept flying around, and we were lucky to see it perch for a while, giving us a great view. Its metallic green and red plumage is truly stunning.
This is another colorful bird we spotted during our South Africa bird photography trip. We had many great sightings, but this was one of the closest and most perfectly angled shots we captured.
1001. South African giraffe, 南非长颈鹿, 南非長頸鹿, Giraffa camelopardalis
update 202501
It’s such an adorable creature! Seeing it in the wild made us pause for a while to capture some photos of this charming animal—even though we were here primarily for the birds. Absolutely delightful!
This bird is generally brown and has a peculiarly shaped head. It’s quite strangely featured, yet surprisingly common, found in both urban and forested environments.
My trip to South Africa ended months ago, but I’m still enjoying the birding experience in Africa—especially meeting this fascinating family. Everyone seemed so excited! At first glance, this species might seem dull (just grey!), but its name makes it impossible to ignore. Every time we spotted one, we couldn’t help but call out, “Go-away bird!”—and honestly, it’s quite a handsome bird!
It’s such a unique bird—many might call it ugly, but I don’t think any birder would agree. To me, it’s a beautiful creature, full of fascinating details.
This tiny, adorable bird gave us one of the most memorable moments of the tour. After a long and patient chase, it finally came close and low just for a brief moment — offering us the best view of the entire trip!
This bird belongs to a unique and fascinating bird family. Though it’s fairly common, it stands out with its long tail and overall plain brown plumage, decorated with distinctive black speckles.
Here’s another member of this fascinating bird family — clearly named for its striking “red face.” They’re usually seen moving in small, active flocks, often giving great views as they forage together.
I never expected to see this adorable creature in South Africa—I thought I’d only encounter it in Madagascar on my next visit. But what a lucky sight! This tiny chameleon was crossing the road so slowly that everyone had to wait for it to make its way before we could continue our journey. define top 5 sight of 2025
Is a long journey from Malaysia – Sulawesi – Jayapura (~26 hours without a bed, too much coffee and waiting) …for the day1 when we arrive, we give Magnificent Riflebird a try but failed to have any photo .. but the bird was well seen above our “hide”
Day2 – Nimbokrang
We start our drive, walk ~430am, 15 min drive and ~20min walk … the first Bird-of-paradise is waiting for us .. before we walk into our “hide”. The bird keeps calling, trying to attract female … but seem it is not attractive enough. only one female comes close and fast. The male trying to “show off” with some action but the female flew off just immediate it trying to show his “dance”
I am mostly recording video, so this picture I share is a Jpeg extract from Canon Digital Photo Professional software …
– one of the most easier, walk not that far and the birds just there without any waiting
– first Bird-of-Paradise of the trip and amazing beautiful
非常漂亮的天堂鳥。
update 202509
Our 2025 group had a great session today as Feng Shu shared a presentation about the upcoming West Papua Bird Photography trip. While I couldn’t be there, I really miss the fun times we had together. Let’s plan again soon — and go after one of those stunning Birds-of-Paradise!
202507, Nimbokrang, Jayapura, West Papua, Indonesia
update 202508
It’s amazing how this bird kept calling during all three of our visits—only once did it attempt to display for a nearby female. I really enjoy watching this species dance; it’s not as dark or fast-moving as some other birds-of-paradise, which makes it even more enjoyable to observe.
It’s our last day at the first birding spot, and we were happy with our choice—got an even better view of this stunning Bird-of-Paradise. Since I already had good shots of its display, I focused on capturing it in flight. And yes… it flew off right after a nearby female called!
202507, Nimbokrang, Jayapura, West Papua, Indonesia
#####
update 202507
After several years, I’m finally back in West Papua—so excited to return! Our first bird-of-paradise of the trip was the same as before: a beautiful male Twelve-wired Bird-of-Paradise, calling at dawn in the dim morning light.
– let’s share some old pictures and video
– this was 2019 Oct, our West Papua Bird Photography trip first Birds-of-Paradise and one of the most easier.
– special of this bird is the tails
2. King Bird-of-paradise, 王极乐鸟, 王天堂鳥, Cicinnurus regius, ヒヨクドリ, Cendrawasih Raja
update 202602
This is one of my absolute favorite birds, and seeing it always gets my heart racing. This trip was particularly special because we found a much better vantage point. Unlike the first spot where the birds stayed high up after a 15-minute walk, this site offered open, low-level views for everyone. It did require a 40-minute trek through flat, muddy trails, but the proximity was worth it. Some of us even went back for a second round to capture better shots. I am already looking forward to returning in August 2026. Who wants to join me?
202507, Nimbokrang, Jayapura, West Papua, Indonesia
#####
update 202508
This is definitely one of my favorite birds-of-paradise. It usually stays high in the canopy, but with some luck, you can still capture its stunning poses and display.
For this trip, we were lucky—it came down really low, giving us a perfect chance to photograph this beautiful bird up close!
202507, Nimbokrang, Jayapura, West Papua, Indonesia
#####
BoP #2 which is my target #1 for this tour, was just about 20min walking after Twelve-wired Bird-of-Paradise, but this is so much smaller, higher & active makes only a very limited angle to get the full view. I am lucky to have this just ~5min wait.
King Bird-of-paradise, 王极乐鸟
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3. Lesser Bird-of-paradise, 小极乐鸟, 小天堂鳥, Paradisaea minor, コフウチョウ, Cendrawasih Kecil
– The only BoP we didn’t see much and dancing .. just hear most of the time … the location we wait seem not the really correct location for “dancing” … but it did flying across and let us record
– 在非常高的樹上叫不停，就見到它們飛來飛去。幸運都停了一會。
update 202508
Same as before—it stayed high up in the trees. But this time, we were lucky to be much closer (surprisingly, we didn’t walk much on this tour—except one guest who followed me for the Black Sicklebill). Still, the bird was displaying with a few females nearby, and everyone was happy with the show!
– another not so obvious Bird-of-Paradise got from Irian Jaya.
– this is so far away, and somehow it still belongs to BoP .. we got it record ..
– 鳥不是特別出色，還要在遠遠的。
– 攝於伊里安查亚
#
After 5 days of “enjoy”, reasonable food, easy walk (flat), air-cond room, not far from airport and bird spots .. we finally move to 2nd destination Arfak Mountain..
After got the information before, we get ready with some extra food … sleeping beg, insect repellent, etc .. just before we going into a “no Phone” (only a particular spot can get a phone signal which is a bit distance from our “homestay”. After ~2 hours of offroad travel, we arrive at our homestay a little bit late and with rain .. so we call this a day and enjoy our cold stay
Here, we need to split into a few groups to decide on different BoP hide due to limited “hole” for photography …
Day1 at Arfak Mountain
5. Western Parotia, 阿法六线风鸟, 阿法六線風鳥, Parotia sefilata, カンザシフウチョウ, Parotia Arfak
– lucky to have this amazing, lovely bird for bird #1 .. we walk a very steep hike ~45-60 degree uphill for ~500m … we saw the bird-eating, calling for the whole morning but just not dancing … at ~9 am, we almost give up … the female came to the dancing group, followed by the male than the moment begin …
update 202602
This is one of our main target species, both to photograph and to witness in person just how incredible its display can be. It is a big bird, and once it starts displaying, it looks both spectacular and amusing at the same time. No matter how many times we watch it, the display never gets boring. Sometimes, we even return again in the afternoon, hoping to catch more action.
##### It’s hard to miss this amazing bird when visiting West Papua—but getting good photos during its “dance” is still a big challenge. The bird moves in every direction with lightning speed, often in low light. Once we had enough photos, everyone switched to video mode, hoping to capture its incredible display. This shot shows the moment it ends its dance—standing still and shaking its head. Captured at 40fps and turned into a short video. Hopefully, I’ll get to share the full display video soon!
– 4 years ago 5 of us went to West Papua for Photography and today 3 out of 5 we back to same airport and same Starbuck ..good memory … and hope tomorrow we have same good experience for the photography tour
– a big overall blackbird, with a colorful throat depends on the angle and also have a Blue eye
– the male famous with ballerina dance displaying to attract female
– 非常特别的天堂鸟。大，黑，喉会变黄绿。为吸引母鸟会跳草裙舞
201910, Mount Arfak, West Papua, Indonesia
update 2020 Jul
Western Parotia, 阿法六線風鳥, 阿法六线风鸟, Parotia sefilata
##########
so amazing to see it dancing ..
update 2020 Jan 16
a close look at the Juv
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6. Red Bird-of-paradise, 红极乐鸟, 紅極樂鳥, Paradisaea rubra, ジュウニセンフウチョウ, Cendrawasih Mati-kawat
actually, this is the last BoP of the tour but I really like it so much when I process the pictures …. can’t wait to share this great moment with you all. Endemic, common but somehow I really like this
update 202508
This year’s setup is much better—a shorter walk and an improved bird hide gave us a better viewing angle. Unfortunately, no female showed up, so the bird just did a short display as if preparing, then left. Still, a stunning bird and a moment worth witnessing.
This marks the final Bird of Paradise for our 16-day West Papua trip. Everyone was thrilled to see this beautiful and relatively easier species. It looked like it was just starting to display and call for a female—but no luck today. Still, it was fun watching it practice its dance moves!
– another BoP that really amazes us, it keeps cleaning the “dancing” ground and displaying (dancing) to attract a female. make a lot of photo opportunity
– one of the easiest and beautiful Bird-of-Paradise
– every morning, it will come to “dance” ground clearing and calling the female – this is a moment after an hour clearing, no female is approaching so it is resting and preening nearby
– 一隻蠻普通+漂亮的風鳥，天堂鳥。
– 每天它都會到這清理，呼叫。希望母鳥的到來。
update 202602
This is one of the easiest Birds-of-Paradise to see, yet it is still among the most stunning and beautiful. This time, the display site was amazingly right beside the roadside! Compared to past trips, where we needed to hike 1–2 hours on steep slopes, this felt like a real luxury. If we have an extra morning, I would definitely return to enjoy this spectacular display again.
I will be revisiting West Papua in 2026 — anyone interested in joining?
update 202509 ##### Still remember the moment—our porters and local guides were late, so everyone rushed to the birding spot without them. Luckily, we arrived just in time to witness something special. A truly lucky group to see this stunning Bird-of-Paradise performing its display to attract a female. Such an incredible experience with these amazing birds! 还记得当时的情景——我们的挑夫和当地向导迟到了，大家只能自己快步前往观鸟点。幸运的是，我们还是赶上了精彩的时刻。 真是幸运的一组人，看到天堂鸟为了吸引雌鸟而展示求偶舞。这种鸟真是太神奇了！
#####
update 202112
update 202105
– one of the most seen, photograph BoP, but still like this bird very much. the body contains so much color and the chest “green” can changing depend on lighting and angle to “purple”
A large, front-heavy brown bird with a long, pale downcurved bill and a distinctive elongated head with a flat crown and a forehead tuft. Orange legs. Unmistakable males have a green-blue breast shield and long creamy-white plumes extending from the shoulders. Females are entirely earth-brown, lacking the shoulder extensions and shield. Immature resembles female. Found in canopy of tall forests in lowlands and foothills, confined to three islands in north Moluccas. Regularly sighted at known display sites. Very loud when displaying, giving raucous “WAA-WAA…” and “KEE-KEE…” notes. [Ebird]
update 202504
What a beautiful bird—one of the most easily accessible Birds-of-Paradise. I’ll definitely be visiting this site again soon. Can’t wait to see you once more!
– this a weird scene I seen, or I missed out anything before .. why the female is on top and I record few times ..
– another trip another good view of this bird after longer wait compared to previous trips. I didn’t have best angle but still trying to show the beauty of this bird .. 8km bird .. worth ? YES definitely
– will share some funny video about this bird … may be finish this trip
– another trip another good view of this bird after longer wait compared to previous trips. I didn’t have best angle but still trying to show the beauty of this bird .. 8km bird .. worth ? YES definitely
– will share some funny video about this bird … may be finish this trip
– 2nd trip to Halmahera 2023 and see you next week … never get bored to see it making noise and dance even the journey there bit challenge … I am coming
– lucky to see it display but not really full open view. capture video with 100p slowdown 50%
– 幸运的看到他在跳舞。可是没全露。可是还是记录下了。
###
another special tour, which has main target of this Standardwing Bird-of-Paradise.
It is a real good experience to be Halmahera, we just spend 3 nights. We easily got ours’ targets seen.
This is our main target, on 2nd morning. We hike 3.7km straight to the “hide” (on the way, we heard owlet-nightjar which is my favorite bird but we failed to see the bird and also rushing to the hide for main target.
Arrived before 6am, while every still dark. We can heard many of them already calling infront of us but just very brief view. after 30minutes, finally we got clear view of this amazing beautiful bird. But I still only got some extreme high ISO picture even with my CANON RF400mm F2.8.
Long story short, the birds stay for long and from ISO 25600 – ISO800, Managed to have perfect view of the bird and pictures… oohh video too .
Immediate of this target, we walking out and birding. There is another very good story to talk about “pick up service for the Pitta”
It’s not a lifer for me, but watching this bird display openly—with such a unique courtship dance and even mating—definitely made my July 2025 unforgettable. Even with highlights like the dancing Western Parotia, displaying Black Sicklebill, close views of King Bird-of-paradise, a flying Twelve-wired BOP, and up-close Owlet-nightjars… this moment will stick with me forever.
It’s truly a privilege to witness this amazing courtship display. We were lucky to see it many times and even managed to capture it in slow motion with new technology—something that would’ve been nearly impossible just a few years ago. Enjoy the moment!
1. Red Leaf monkey, 栗紅葉猴, 栗红叶猴, Presbytis rubicunda
– also call maroon langur, maroon leaf monkey, Borneo endemic.. lucky to have rare white morph
update 202505
It’s been a relatively quiet time at BRL, Danum Valley, with few sightings of Orangutans and Red Leaf Monkeys overall. But we were lucky to have a close and special encounter with this beautiful and charming monkey!
– after 11 years of first visit with you, and after you left… my first time here again … not really a good visit every step I move remind us .. same accommodation, lake, jungle trail … river …
– overall black with silver on edge
– normally found near mangrove, river side
– 黑银，通常在红树林。
update 202309
– a special target tour, heavy rain before we go out for river cruise. When rain stop, we went out and got many good sight and finally got the Wrinkled Hornbill. When we trying for other, saw this weird looking Silvery Lutung.
– a not so common seen Primate. Normally will heard in most of the lowland forest in Sabah.
– 通常都在沙巴低海拔的森林听到它的叫声。非常不容易见到。
update 202309
– a special trip to Tawau for specific Photography target, but the bird does not show up last evening, so morning we decided to have casual birding and for me this guy show up is better than any other. it move fast but I manage to got few shots of the beautiful primate.
One of the most common primates in Tangkoko—often seen moving in groups. They may look intimidating, but they’re generally not aggressive. Still, it’s best to keep a respectful distance just to be safe!
Is a long journey from Malaysia – Sulawesi – Jayapura (~26 hours without a bed, too much coffee and waiting) …for the day1 when we arrive, we give Magnificent Riflebird a try but failed to have any photo .. but the bird was well seen above our “hide”
Day2 – Nimbokrang
We start our drive, walk ~430am, 15 min drive and ~20min walk … the first Bird-of-paradise is waiting for us .. before we walk into our “hide”. The bird keeps calling, trying to attract female … but seem it is not attractive enough. only one female comes close and fast. The male trying to “show off” with some action but the female flew off just immediate it trying to show his “dance”
I am mostly recording video, so this picture I share is a Jpeg extract from Canon Digital Photo Professional software …
– one of the most easier, walk not that far and the birds just there without any waiting
– first Bird-of-Paradise of the trip and amazing beautiful
非常漂亮的天堂鳥。
update 202508
It’s amazing how this bird kept calling during all three of our visits—only once did it attempt to display for a nearby female. I really enjoy watching this species dance; it’s not as dark or fast-moving as some other birds-of-paradise, which makes it even more enjoyable to observe.
It’s our last day at the first birding spot, and we were happy with our choice—got an even better view of this stunning Bird-of-Paradise. Since I already had good shots of its display, I focused on capturing it in flight. And yes… it flew off right after a nearby female called!
202507, Nimbokrang, Jayapura, West Papua, Indonesia
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update 202507
After several years, I’m finally back in West Papua—so excited to return! Our first bird-of-paradise of the trip was the same as before: a beautiful male Twelve-wired Bird-of-Paradise, calling at dawn in the dim morning light.
– let’s share some old pictures and video
– this was 2019 Oct, our West Papua Bird Photography trip first Birds-of-Paradise and one of the most easier.
– special of this bird is the tails
2. King Bird-of-paradise, 王极乐鸟, 王天堂鳥, Cicinnurus regius, ヒヨクドリ, Cendrawasih Raja
update 202602
This is one of my absolute favorite birds, and seeing it always gets my heart racing. This trip was particularly special because we found a much better vantage point. Unlike the first spot where the birds stayed high up after a 15-minute walk, this site offered open, low-level views for everyone. It did require a 40-minute trek through flat, muddy trails, but the proximity was worth it. Some of us even went back for a second round to capture better shots. I am already looking forward to returning in August 2026. Who wants to join me?
202507, Nimbokrang, Jayapura, West Papua, Indonesia
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update 202508
This is definitely one of my favorite birds-of-paradise. It usually stays high in the canopy, but with some luck, you can still capture its stunning poses and display.
For this trip, we were lucky—it came down really low, giving us a perfect chance to photograph this beautiful bird up close!
202507, Nimbokrang, Jayapura, West Papua, Indonesia
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BoP #2 which is my target #1 for this tour, was just about 20min walking after Twelve-wired Bird-of-Paradise, but this is so much smaller, higher & active makes only a very limited angle to get the full view. I am lucky to have this just ~5min wait.
King Bird-of-paradise, 王极乐鸟
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3. Lesser Bird-of-paradise, 小极乐鸟, 小天堂鳥, Paradisaea minor, コフウチョウ, Cendrawasih Kecil
– The only BoP we didn’t see much and dancing .. just hear most of the time … the location we wait seem not the really correct location for “dancing” … but it did flying across and let us record
– 在非常高的樹上叫不停，就見到它們飛來飛去。幸運都停了一會。
update 202508
Same as before—it stayed high up in the trees. But this time, we were lucky to be much closer (surprisingly, we didn’t walk much on this tour—except one guest who followed me for the Black Sicklebill). Still, the bird was displaying with a few females nearby, and everyone was happy with the show!
– another not so obvious Bird-of-Paradise got from Irian Jaya.
– this is so far away, and somehow it still belongs to BoP .. we got it record ..
– 鳥不是特別出色，還要在遠遠的。
– 攝於伊里安查亚
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After 5 days of “enjoy”, reasonable food, easy walk (flat), air-cond room, not far from airport and bird spots .. we finally move to 2nd destination Arfak Mountain..
After got the information before, we get ready with some extra food … sleeping beg, insect repellent, etc .. just before we going into a “no Phone” (only a particular spot can get a phone signal which is a bit distance from our “homestay”. After ~2 hours of offroad travel, we arrive at our homestay a little bit late and with rain .. so we call this a day and enjoy our cold stay
Here, we need to split into a few groups to decide on different BoP hide due to limited “hole” for photography …
Day1 at Arfak Mountain
5. Western Parotia, 阿法六线风鸟, 阿法六線風鳥, Parotia sefilata, カンザシフウチョウ, Parotia Arfak
– lucky to have this amazing, lovely bird for bird #1 .. we walk a very steep hike ~45-60 degree uphill for ~500m … we saw the bird-eating, calling for the whole morning but just not dancing … at ~9 am, we almost give up … the female came to the dancing group, followed by the male than the moment begin …
update 202602
This is one of our main target species, both to photograph and to witness in person just how incredible its display can be. It is a big bird, and once it starts displaying, it looks both spectacular and amusing at the same time. No matter how many times we watch it, the display never gets boring. Sometimes, we even return again in the afternoon, hoping to catch more action.
##### It’s hard to miss this amazing bird when visiting West Papua—but getting good photos during its “dance” is still a big challenge. The bird moves in every direction with lightning speed, often in low light. Once we had enough photos, everyone switched to video mode, hoping to capture its incredible display. This shot shows the moment it ends its dance—standing still and shaking its head. Captured at 40fps and turned into a short video. Hopefully, I’ll get to share the full display video soon!
– a big overall blackbird, with a colorful throat depends on the angle and also have a Blue eye
– the male famous with ballerina dance displaying to attract female
– 非常特别的天堂鸟。大，黑，喉会变黄绿。为吸引母鸟会跳草裙舞
201910, Mount Arfak, West Papua, Indonesia
update 2020 Jul
Western Parotia, 阿法六線風鳥, 阿法六线风鸟, Parotia sefilata
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so amazing to see it dancing ..
update 2020 Jan 16
a close look at the Juv
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6. Red Bird-of-paradise, 红极乐鸟, 紅極樂鳥, Paradisaea rubra, ジュウニセンフウチョウ, Cendrawasih Mati-kawat
actually, this is the last BoP of the tour but I really like it so much when I process the pictures …. can’t wait to share this great moment with you all. Endemic, common but somehow I really like this
update 202508
This year’s setup is much better—a shorter walk and an improved bird hide gave us a better viewing angle. Unfortunately, no female showed up, so the bird just did a short display as if preparing, then left. Still, a stunning bird and a moment worth witnessing.
This marks the final Bird of Paradise for our 16-day West Papua trip. Everyone was thrilled to see this beautiful and relatively easier species. It looked like it was just starting to display and call for a female—but no luck today. Still, it was fun watching it practice its dance moves!
– another BoP that really amazes us, it keeps cleaning the “dancing” ground and displaying (dancing) to attract a female. make a lot of photo opportunity
– one of the easiest and beautiful Bird-of-Paradise
– every morning, it will come to “dance” ground clearing and calling the female – this is a moment after an hour clearing, no female is approaching so it is resting and preening nearby
– 一隻蠻普通+漂亮的風鳥，天堂鳥。
– 每天它都會到這清理，呼叫。希望母鳥的到來。
update 202602
This is one of the easiest Birds-of-Paradise to see, yet it is still among the most stunning and beautiful. This time, the display site was amazingly right beside the roadside! Compared to past trips, where we needed to hike 1–2 hours on steep slopes, this felt like a real luxury. If we have an extra morning, I would definitely return to enjoy this spectacular display again.
I will be revisiting West Papua in 2026 — anyone interested in joining?
update 202509 ##### Still remember the moment—our porters and local guides were late, so everyone rushed to the birding spot without them. Luckily, we arrived just in time to witness something special. A truly lucky group to see this stunning Bird-of-Paradise performing its display to attract a female. Such an incredible experience with these amazing birds! 还记得当时的情景——我们的挑夫和当地向导迟到了，大家只能自己快步前往观鸟点。幸运的是，我们还是赶上了精彩的时刻。 真是幸运的一组人，看到天堂鸟为了吸引雌鸟而展示求偶舞。这种鸟真是太神奇了！
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update 202105
– one of the most seen, photograph BoP, but still like this bird very much. the body contains so much color and the chest “green” can changing depend on lighting and angle to “purple”
It’s not a lifer for me, but watching this bird display openly—with such a unique courtship dance and even mating—definitely made my July 2025 unforgettable. Even with highlights like the dancing Western Parotia, displaying Black Sicklebill, close views of King Bird-of-paradise, a flying Twelve-wired BOP, and up-close Owlet-nightjars… this moment will stick with me forever.
It’s truly a privilege to witness this amazing courtship display. We were lucky to see it many times and even managed to capture it in slow motion with new technology—something that would’ve been nearly impossible just a few years ago. Enjoy the moment!
Frogmouth is one of my favorite bird family .. and I like to see them at night .. this frogmouth is huge !!! average 53cm !!!! We do not really look for it but on the way to our BoP saw it on the wire, road site so I decided to walk down shoot it with handheld .. yes handheld 😀 to reduce time waste …
It’s a massive bird (according to the field guide, 45–60 cm), and it truly looks huge when seen up close. We were lucky that Ahmad took us to his house—yes, just right across from it—to see three of them roosting. But I still hope to see it one day at night, with those glowing red eyes!
这是一只体型非常大的鸟（根据图鉴约45–60厘米），现场看真的很大！
很幸运 Ahmad 带我们去他家（就在他家对面）看到3只正在栖息的鸟。但我还是很想哪天能在夜晚看到它，看到那双“红眼睛”的样子。
202507, Nimbokrang, Jayapura, West Papua, Indonesia
– One of the most beautiful Monarch seen so far …this male just lovely with a blue eye-ring.
– male Blue-white and female is orange-rufous
– 非常特別與漂亮的王鶲
update 202102
– when I first saw the female, I was like wow this Monarch is just gorgeous. then we spent quite some time getting the male into the frame too.– as other Monarch, active and noisy bird– 當我們見到母鳥時真的不能相信這麼漂亮的王鶲– 讓後我們都決定用一點時間把公鳥拍下。
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– heard this bird calling many places but just too shy to show
– obvious bill shape
– 很多點都能聽到它叫。就是很難見到。
update 202507
Excited to revisit this amazing birding spot soon! During our last trip, we spent quite a bit of time searching for this unique “hook-billed” bird—but the effort was totally worth it. Can’t wait to try again in West Papua!
58. Vogelkop Bowerbird, 褐色园丁鸟, 褐色園丁鳥, Amblyornis inornata, チャイロニワシドリ, Namdur Polos
– one of the amazing birds, how this bird behaves… we spend our rest time to monitor this bird for 2 evenings.. it just amazing collect and put the same color “rubbish” to decorate the house.
– while we hiking for other birding sites, I actually notice some colorful rubbish been hide in some hole …think the bird knows how to keep the “rubbish” in another location if it is not required.
– 蠻大，沒什麼顏色的鳥。
– 非常特別的鳥，會把不一樣的”垃圾“。顏色分類。真的很厲害。
update 202105
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59. Common Paradise-Kingfisher, 普通仙翡翠, 普通仙翡翠, Tanysiptera galatea, ラケットカワセミ, Cekakak-pita biasa
– Blue-white, red bill & long-tailed
– this bird is common especially at Raja Ampat, but it just too active and shy ..
– 印尼拉賈安帕群島蠻普通的鳥，可是很害羞。不容易拍照片。
Common Paradise-Kingfisher, 普通仙翡翠, 普通仙翡翠, Tanysiptera galatea
– pink crown, green black-white breast- orange-yellow belly
– 非常漂亮的果鳩
– 粉紅頭冠，灰白臉與胸，綠背。
– 非常害羞。
update 202508
Small and stunning—another beautiful fruit-dove!
In all my previous visits, we only had brief glimpses, often high up and far away. But this time, it came down low and stayed with us for a good while. What a treat!
One of the most common lowland birds in West Papua—but still very special, especially when it opens its mouth, showing off that bright, shiny color. And the female is just as stunning! (I’ll post her next time.)
For us, after a long day of travel, this was the first bird to welcome us—right outside our room!
update 202102
- this bird very active and beautiful for both male and female
- captured our stay at our hotel at Raja Ampat
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62. Lesser Frigatebird, 白斑军舰鸟, 白班軍艦鳥, Fregata ariel, コグンカンドリ, Cikalang Kecil
– one of the least common in this region with the Greater
– male is easier to distinct but females sometimes confuse.
– LF which refers has obviously the extended spurs which absent from Greater Frigatebird. some angles may confuse with Christmas Island Frigatebird.
update 202101
- captured this at our hotel near the beach while our stay at Raja Ampat, Indonesia
- the spurs extend from the center white breast
- blackhead, the white breast should be an adult female?
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63. Golden Monarch, 金王鹟, 黑黃王鶲, Carterornis chrysomela, キイロカササギビタキ, Kehicap Emas
One of the most common birds around, but this time it kept its distance and wasn’t too friendly. Still, we managed to get plenty of nice flight shots.
Such a beautiful bird, especially when its wings are fully open!
This bird is endemic to Papua Island, and unlike some species that require long waits, this one was a quick and lucky tick! It perched right where we wanted—such a satisfying moment.
Big thanks to the team for their persistence! We finally got a good look at this fairly common lowland forest bird in West Papua. It was a bit of a shame the first one only I managed to photograph—but luckily, we found it again and everyone got their shot!
This was another tricky bird to get! We spent two hours on the first afternoon, and only I managed to get a partial shot of the head and body. The next day trying for Papuan Pitta was another tough one—again, I was the only one who got a photo. On our final evening, Ahmad suggested trying a new bird hide. （bird not come for feed) —just walked and flew around. But in the end, everyone finally got a look at this Papua endemic!
It’s a huge bird with a brightly colored head. I missed it during my last trip, but this time I finally got to see two—moving around almost like pets, even with names! Really happy to finally see this massive and beautiful bird.
202507, Nimbokrang, Jayapura, West Papua, Indonesia
69. Mountain Owlet-nightjar, 灰裸鼻鸱, 山裸鼻鴟, Aegotheles albertisi, ミヤマズクヨタカ, Atoku gunung
update 202508
This is another one of my favorite bird families—always a top priority whenever I visit sites where it’s possible to see them. During our 4-day stay at Mount Arfak, we saw four individuals: three Mountain and one Feline Owlet-nightjar. This one was especially memorable—so beautiful and just about 5–8 feet away, staring right at us!
It’s not a new family or species — I’ve definitely photographed this bird before during a previous visit to the Arfak area. But this time, I got to witness it fighting with a Lophorina superba while trying to attract a female at the “stage.”
This tiny parrot was feeding—maybe on ants?—along a tree trunk. Luckily, a few came down low near the village, giving us a great look. Up close, it’s truly beautiful; otherwise, it just looks like a little green blur zipping around!
This bird showed up a few times throughout our West Papua trip and became one of our frequently seen species. Unfortunately, only I managed to get some record shots—others only saw it walk past! It actually paused in this spot for around 4 seconds, but due to the bird hide’s viewing angle, not everyone could get a photo.
This is one of the most common birds on Waigeo Island—you can often see them flying around. We were lucky to stay at a resort where they flew close by and occasionally perched on nearby fruit trees. Just before heading out for our evening birding session, this lovely female came really close and low for us—what a treat!
74. Beach Kingfisher, 白头翡翠, 海灘翡翠, Todiramphus saurophagus, シロガシラショウビン, Cekakak Pantai
update 202509
This kingfisher is quite common from Maluku to Papua Island—not a rare bird, but like many kingfishers, it can be shy when approached. Also, it’s not the easiest to photograph, especially with its bright head that’s easy to overexpose.
After our noon break, we explored along the river and were lucky to spot one perched nearby. Even better, it came back again for another look!
One of the exciting moments was spotting this shy and rare bird through the thick morning mist. Thanks to Pak Esli’s persistence, he returned the next morning and got a much better view!
This bird behaves much like a fantail but has the appearance of a drongo—a truly unique combination. While the rest of the group was in the hide, I was left outside (no seat available), which turned out to be a blessing, as I got to enjoy this strange and wonderful bird up close!
78. Brown Oriole, 褐鹂, 褐色黃鸝, Oriolus szalayi, チャイロコウライウグイス, Kepudang Coklat
update 202509
It gives off a call similar to an oriole, yet its appearance is rather plain and understated. Despite its simple look, it’s a species we rarely get to see up close or capture in photographs, making this encounter quite special.
One of the easiest and most rewarding night birding moments! This lovely endemic owl started calling right at dusk near the roadside. We didn’t have to wait long — just a short walk into the bushes, and there it was, perched and showing well for everyone. A truly special night encounter!
It’s not a new mammal family, but definitely a new addition to our collection! Spotted this stunning-looking mammal on Waigeo Island. While everyone was enjoying coffee and waiting for fruit-doves, some local kids called us into the forest. We couldn’t really understand what they were saying—but soon enough, this beautiful creature appeared, low and close. What a surprise and such a beautiful moment!
Orangutans, 人猿
