BIRDING IN SUMATRA

Birdwatching in Sumatra

Remote Sumatra Birdwatching trip with Japan Birder 

The Leuser Ecosystem rainforest is as the best forest for sumatran birds. The Leuser Ecosystem and Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) is one of the richest tropical rainforest in Southeast Asia. The Leuser Ecosystem are covering more than 2.6 million hectares and including the 1.094.692 ha of Gunung Leuser National Park. The bigger part is located in Aceh Province (2,255,577 hectares) and the rest in North Sumatra Province (384,297 hectares). The Mount Leuser National Park (TNGL) has been recognised as a “World Heritage Site” by UNESCO.

The park area starts at an altitude of 0m in Kluet and the highest point in this area is peak of Gunung Leuser reaches up to 3450 m, and also the second highest point in Sumatra. More than 400 species of birds recorded with majority Sumatran endemic, such as Hoogerwerf’s Pheasant, Roll’s Partridge, Red-billed Hill-partridge, Bronze-tailed Peacock-Pheasant, Sumatran Green Pigeon, Rajah Scops Owl, Short-tailed Frogmouth, Sumatran Laughingthrush and also Schneider’s Pitta as a new record was discovered in 2013. The Kluet swamp as part of this area as important for White-winged Wood Duck, Storm Stork and Masked Finfoot. However in Leuser Ecosystem is poorly discover by birder.

Remote Sumatra Birdwatching trip with American Birder

The Leuser Ecosystem, including the Gunung Leuser National Park, is by far the largest and most significant forest remnant remaining in Sumatra. All three parks would undoubtedly have been important climatic refuge for species over evolutionary time and have now become critically important refuge for future evolutionary processes. The northern part of Sumatra, i.e. the provinces of Aceh (Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam) and North Sumatra (Sumatera Utara) lies just above the equator.
The beautiful Gayo Highlands deep in the interior of Aceh are ripe for off-the-path picking. This is coffee country, cool and mountainous with spectacular vistas drifting in and out of focus between cool morning mists. The Gayo Highlands will also give us the opportunity to see a wide variety of Indo-Malayan species, from the broadbills, trogons and hornbills of the many montane species that inhabit the highland forests. It's a new of the best wildlife spot in Sumatra.

The Top highlights in Northern Sumatra is Aceh Bulbul (Orange Spoted Bulbul, Sumatran endemic subspecies snouckaerti race, Aceh) and ‘Sumatran’ Silver-eared Mesia (Sumatran endemic subspecies rookmakeri race, Highlands of northern Sumatra). Others highlight is Sumatran Laughingthrush as one of the rare Laughingthrush in the world!!! ….Vulnurable(IUCN redlist). It is endemic to highland forest on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, where it is threatened by habitat loss and capture for the wildlife trade.

Enjoy the coffee time in trip

The Leuser Ecosystem Rainforest in Aceh Province, Sumatra has all species of Sumatran birds except Sumatran Cochoa and Sumatran Ground Cuckoo. Aceh is a new birding spot in Sumatra. The Leuser Ecosystem in Aceh as a remote area in Sumatra with biggest forest. Not so many birders come to Aceh. Aceh Birder say it is a new paradise for Sumatran bird endemics. Many endemic bird species of Sumatra Island can be found in the Leuser Ecosystem Area or Gunung Leuser National Park of Aceh like Sumatran Laughingthrush (Garrulax bicolor). Over 600 bird species recorded including around 28 epidemics.

KEY SPECIES

Sumatran endemic

Aceh Bulbul, Schneider’s Pitta, Roll’s Partridge, Red-billed Hill-partridge, Hoogerwerf’s Pheasant, Graceful Pitta, Cream-striped Bulbul, Spot-necked Bulbul, Rusty-breasted Wren-Babbler, Shiny Whistling Thrush, Blue-masked Leafbird, Rajah Scops Owl, Salvadori’s Nightjar, Sumatran Frogmouth, Sumatran Partridge, Sumatran Laughingthrush, Sumatran Woodpecker, Sumatran Bulbul, Sumatran Niltava, Sumatran Peacock Pheasant, Sumatran Rimator, Sumatran Shortwing, Sumatran Spangled Drongo, Sumatran Whistling-thrush, Sumatran Green Pigeon, Sumatran Trogon, Sumatran Babbler, Sumatran Treepie, Sumatran Leafbird.

Endangered species

Storm Stork, White-winged Wood Duck, Masked Finfoot, Helmeted Hornbill, Milky Stork.

OTHER WILDLIFES

Asian Golden Cat, Sumatran Orangutan, Thomas Leafmonkey, Black Gibbon, Lar Gibbon, Sun Bear, Sumatran Tiger, Sunda Clouded Leopard, Sumatran Elephant, Sumatran rhinoceros.

Please see more at : http://www.birdinginsumatra.com