Raja Ampat is a great destination for snorkelers and scuba divers. It is also a great site for rainforest wildlife watching tour. As a guide I have run bird tours in Waigeo island for around 7 years now. Usually I combine it with snorkeling trips. With this type of tour, participants will be able to see the wealth of biodiversity of Raja Ampat both in coral reef and rainforest.
The best time to enjoy birding and wildlife watching is in the mornings and late afternoons before sunset. To watch Red Bird of Paradise and Wilson's Bird of Paradise, we have to wake up early in the mornings. First, we will make preparations and then after that, we will go to the lek of birds of paradise on foot. When we reach the birdwatching site, the light of the sun begins to hit the canopy of the forest. This is the moment when male Red Birds of Paradise begin to call their female mating partners. Several male Red Birds of Paradise compete to perform courtship dance in order to wind the heart of their female mating partner. Their dancing style is unique. A male bird of paradise often dances in an upside-down position. Similar to 69 tantric pose that allows the smooth flow of love energy.
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| The tantric 69 upside-down pose of the Red Bird of Paradise during courtship dance performance for the smooth flow of love energy |
The duration of the dancing performance and mating of birds of paradise is around 3 hours if the weather is good.
Wilson's Bird of Paradise (Diphyllodes respublica) is also active around the same time as the Wilson's Bird of Paradise. The following video shows how the male bird was picking up debris from his display ground as a preparation to attract his female counterpart to that site. When the female Wilson's Bird of Paradie shows up, he will show his beautiful feather and plays his curly tailed antennas for mating with his female partner.
In addition to watching birds of paradise, we also do general birding and wildlife watching walks to see various kinds of animals from tropical birds to reptiles, insects and mammals.
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| Coconut Crab in Raja Ampat |
During my previous tours with tourists in Waigeo island of Raja Ampat, we saw birds such as Eclectus Parrot, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Hooded Butcherbird, Pied Imperial Pigeon, Great-billed Parrot, Palm Cockatoo, Willie Wagtail, Papuan Frogmouth and a lot more.
If you are interested in taking a wildlife watching and snorkeling tour with me as your guide in Raja Ampat, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.
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