Indonesia: Lesser Sundas

Sumba Hornbill © Riza Marlon/Shutterstock

A fascinating but less explored region of Indonesia, the Lesser Sundas Archipelago features several islands key for avian diversity and endemism including Sumba, Timor, Flores, and Komodo, presenting an opportunity to see a variety of birds not available on our Indonesia Highlights tour.

After more than a decade, we offer our first Indonesia tour focusing exclusively on the Lesser Sundas Archipelago, a volcanic island chain steeped in history, culture, and avian endemism. These islands skirt the southern edge of the oceanic realm of “Wallacea,” stretching more than 600 miles and containing more than 900 individual islands. This area is a major biodiversity hotspot, with a birdlife more obviously related to that of Australia, but with some affinity to Asia.

The Lesser Sundas are considered the most varied island group within the vast Indonesia Archipelago, and our tour visits four prominent islands in addition to a couple of smaller islands. Individually, each island is a stand-out for birds and natural history; together they offer dozens of species found nowhere else. From a birdwatching perspective, this is one of the most important and rewarding destinations in Southeast Asia.

Our adventure begins on the island of Bali, from which we will travel to the somewhat isolated and sparsely populated island of Sumba, best known for its megalithic traditions involving horse rearing and spear throwing, but also for its endemic birds. Among the avian prizes to be seen here are Sumba Green-Pigeon, Sumba Boobook, Sumba Hornbill, Cinnamon-banded Kingfisher, Yellow-crested Cockatoo, Marigold Lorikeet, Elegant Pitta, Wallacean Cuckooshrike, Sumba Jungle Flycatcher, and Apricot-breasted Sunbird.

We then head to Timor, the largest and driest island in the Lesser Sundas. It also holds the greatest number of endemics, many of which are threatened by hunting and habitat loss. Here, we will visit both remnant lowland evergreen forest and some montane forest to maximize our exposure to diversity. Some of the species we hope to encounter include Timor Cuckoo-Dove, Pink-headed and Timor imperial-pigeons, Mees’s Nightjar, Timor Boobook, and Iris Lorikeet. We will seek a range of wonderful honeyeaters such as Black-breasted Myzomela, Yellow-eared Honeyeater, and Timor Friarbird. We’ll also watch for Plain Gerygone, Yellow-throated Whistler, and Green Figbird—all good examples of the distinct Australian influence on the local avifauna. Other enticing possibilities are Timor Oriole, Wallacean Drongo, Buff-banded Bushbird, Timor Blue Flycatcher, and Timor Bushchat.

Our itinerary also includes the island of Rote, located only seven miles to the south but smaller, flatter, and more sparsely vegetated. Here, we have a good chance of observing Rote Boobook, Rote Myzomela, and Rote Leaf Warbler, all restricted to Rote.

We’ll then move on to the wonderful island of Flores, regarded by many as the most beautiful and unspoiled island in all of Indonesia. Flores is known primarily as the gateway to Komodo, but also for its pristine dive sites, dramatic volcanic landscapes, hot springs, and rich tribal cultural heritage. Occupying Flores’s extensive monsoon forests and cloud-draped mountains is a stunning array of endemic and near endemic species and specialized forms of more widespread species. A sampling of the special birds we’ll seek are Flores Green-Pigeon, Flores Hawk-Eagle, Flores and Wallace’s scops-owls, White-rumped Kingfisher, Wallace’s Hanging-Parrot, Ornate Pitta, Flores Minivet, Bare-throated Whistler, Flores Monarch, Flores Crow, Tenggara Hill Myna, Blood-breasted Flowerpecker, and Flame-breasted Sunbird among many others.

A tour highlight will be a visit to the mythical island of Komodo to see the world’s largest lizard, the remarkable Komodo Dragon.

Good quality accommodations and vehicles throughout; covers a variety of habitats including coastal and higher elevation mountain sites, all at an easy gentle pace requiring only a moderate level of fitness; tour designed for a comfortable travel experience but includes travel on some less well-maintained roads in remote areas; equatorial, monsoonal climate; pleasant, warm and dry conditions expected, but always with chances for rain.

Timor Bushchat © Tony Tilford/Shutterstock