Malia Birding is a department under Malia Tours with that specially handles birding trips in Sulawesi, Halmahera and beyond.

Maliabirding specializes in arranging birdwatching trips & wildlife photography tours throughout the islands of Indonesia. We focus on sites where experienced local birding guides can help our customers find endemic and other sought after birds, explore wild areas and share experiences.

We are based in Palu, Central Sulawesi, the gateway to Lore Lindu National Park. Aside from the fabulous birding on Sulawesi, we can arrange birdwatching trips to Halmahera, Ambon and Maluku, West Papua, Kalimantan (Borneo), Sumatra, Java, Bali and the Lesser Sundas through our network of guides.

Palu valley,  Central Sulawesi 
Palu is the capital city of Central Sulawesi province, located is a long the river and narrow bay. Because of its sheltered position between mountain ridges, the climate is unusually dry. 

Palu valley has potential birding sites to find endemic species, included Pale-vented Myna.
Birding sites; Biromaru and Toaya  

Lore Lindu National Park
Lore Lindu National Park is a protected area of forest on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, in the province of Central Sulawesi. The Indonesian national park is 2,180 km² covering both lowland and montane forests (200 to 2,610 meters above mean sea level). It provides habitat to numerous rare species, including 77 bird species endemic to Sulawesi. The national park is designated as part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves. In addition to its rich wildlife, the park also contains megaliths dating from before 1300 AD.

The easiest access to visit the national park is from Palu to Danau Tambing (89 kilometers in 3 hours drive). Due to a lot of rainfall up to 4,000 mm a year in the southern part of the national park, the best time to visit is from July to September. 

Rammang Rammang, Karst Mountain, Maros
Rammang-Rammang is a productive place for birding in South Sulawesi, located in the karts mountain range (limestone). It's settled in Salenrang village, Bontoa disctrict, Maros, South Sulawesi province, about about 40 km from north of Makassar. 

Highlight species: Black-ringed White, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Bay Coucal, Sulawesi Hornbill, Knobbed Hornbill, Ashy Woodpecker, Pygmy Sulawesi Woodpecker, Sulawesi Pitta, Lilac Kingfisher, Black-billed Kingfisher, Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher, Green-backed Kingfisher, Ruddy Kingfisher, White-rumped Cuckoo-shrike, Moluccan Drongo Cuckoo, Sulawesi Serpent Eagle, Sulawesi Hawk Eagle, Sulawesi Babbler, Piping Crow

The name of "Rammang-Rammang" comes from the language of Makassar, where Rammang means "cloud" or "mist". So, Rammang-Rammang means a set of cloud or fog. According to the local believe, this place was named Rammang-Rammang because of the clouds or fog that always appearing around the area, especially in the morning or when it rains.
The points of interest in the region is a limestone forest park, Telaga Bidadari, Bulu’ Barakka' cave, Telapak Tangan Cave, Pasaung caves, Pute rivers and Berua Village.
Rammang Rammang Lime stone forest scattered for about 45 000 hectares (45A km²) and this is the third largest karst areas in the world, after Tsingy in Madagascar and Shilin in China. There are two stone forest park complex in Rammang-Rammang that located in the north and in the south.

Lompobattang Forest, Malino
None is known. However, 200 km² of "protection forest" on Gunung Lompobatang (which is heavily disturbed below 1,000-1,700 m, but rises to 3,000 m) has been proposed for establishment as a nature reserve.
Key species; Lompobattang Flycatcher, and Lompobattang Fruit-dove

Conduct extensive surveys in the Lompobatang massif to identify all remaining forest tracts supporting populations. Establish a strict protected area to encompass as much remaining forest on the massif as possible. Promote effective enforcement of protected-area regulations to minimise alternative land-use development and control further exploitation of the area. Initiate local directives for forest protection and promote a widespread education programme highlighting the importance of the Lompobatang massif as the major water catchment area supplying the large cities of  Makassar and Maros. 

Tangkoko Batuangus Nature Reserve 
Tangkoko Batuangus Nature Reserve also known as Tangkoko - Batuangus Dua Saudara is a nature reserve in the northern part of Sulawesi island of Indonesia, takes approximately two hours drive from Manado. The reserve covers an area of 8,700 hectares and includes three mountains: Mount Tangkoko (1,109 meters), Mount Dua Saudara (1,361 meters) and Mount Batuangus (450 meters).

Tangkoko Batuangus Nature Reserve protects at least 127 mammal, 233 bird and 104 reptile and amphibian species. Of these 79 mammal, 103 bird and 29 reptile and amphibian species are endemic to the island.

Threatened mammals include the Celebes crested macaque, of which about 5,500 remain on the island, Spectral tarsier, Sulawesi Bear Cuscus and Sulawesi dwarf Cuscus. Birds include the Knobbed hornbill, Sulawesi Hornbill,  Maleo and much more....

The first conservation area at Mount Tongkoko has been established in 1919. To this the Dua Saudara area has been added in 1978, and the Batuangus and Batuputih areas in 1981, together encompassing a total of 8,718 hectares. Visitation is only allowed in the Batuputih area. 

Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park
Bogani Nani Wartabone of formerly known Dumoga Bone has a 2,871 km² (1,108 mi²) National Park on Minahassa Peninsula on Sulawesi island,  it was established in 1991 and was renamed in honour of Nani Wartabone, a local resistance fighter who drove the Japanese from Gorontalo during the World War II. The park has been identified by Wildlife Conservation Society as the single most important site for the conservation of Sulawesi wildlife and is home to a large number of species endemic to Sulawesi 

Gunung Ambang
Gunung Ambang is a Montane birding site in North Sulawesi. Approximately 7 hour driving from Manado. Key species is Matinan Flycatcher, other things are easier to see here such as Sulawesi Serpent-Eagle; Cinnabar Hawk-Owl; Speckled Hawk-Owl; Pale-blue Monarch; Malia; Fiery-browed Myna

Gunung Ambang in one of a range of mountains to the east of the city of Kotamobagu, about 5-6 hrs drive west of Manado. Some good forest remains on the hill tops, at altitudes of between 1,000 and about 1,700 m. Gunung Ambang used to form part of Bogani Nani Wartabone (Dumoga Bone) National Park, but now forms a nature reserve in its own right. Despite the protected status the forest is pretty degraded, and illegal logging continues virtually unchecked. Despite the degraded state of forests on the lower slopes, Gunung Ambang remains an excellent site to go birding, not least for the chance to see Bare-faced Rail, Cinnabar Hawk-Owl, Matinan Flycatcher and a species of Muscicapa flycatcher that is not yet fully described (“Sulawesi Flycatcher”).

Access to the birding is via the city of Kotamaobagu, and then the village of Sinsingon. From here there is a walk across potato fields and clove plantations of around 2km, before the trail enters forest and heads up. The trail then rises another couple of kilomteres, with many side trails branching off left and right. Birding can quite good for common and open-country birds on the walk in, but gets better when the path starts to lie alongside the forested slopes of the hills above. Here at the forest edge you can see Malia, Fiery-browed Myna and occasionally the sought after flycatchers. Once the trail enters the forest things just get better. In addition to more of the above, this is the best spot to look (and listen) for Cinnabar Hawk-owl at night, and it is along here that Bare-faced Rail has been seen.

Gunung Mahawu & Minahasa highland
Gunung Mahawu is a forested volcano, drive about 1.5 hours from the south of Manado, above Tomohon town. It is a readily accessible spot which holds some interesting species, most notable Scaly Kingfisher, for which it is one of target species and most reliable .

Other nice birds commonly seen along the track include the Sulawesi endemic Pale-blue Monarch (split from Black-naped Monarch) and endemic Sulawesi Blue-Flycatcher (split from Mangrove Blue-Flycatcher). Sulawesi Goshawk, Spot-tailed Goshawk, Small Sparrow-hawk, Sulawesi Pitta, Chestnut-backed Bush-Warblers, Sulawesi Myzomela, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Sulawesi Leaf-warbler, Streak-headed Dark-eye and Rufous-throated Flycatcher abound on the higher sections. At night Sulawesi Scops-Owl is everyhwere, and occasionally Speckled Boobook and Sulawesi Scops-owl, Sulawesi Nigthjar and Diabolical Nightjar can be hear (or seen).

From there journey continues driving down to Tondano and the lake Linow  to find species such as Sunda Teal, Wandering Whistling Duck, Spotted Harrier, Rufous-night Heron, Cinnamon Bittern and other migrated birds. 

Puna & Nantu forest (Gorontalo)
Highlight species: Maleo, Yellow-breasted Racquet-tail, Golden-mantled Racquet-tail, Pied Cuckoo-shrike, Black-billed Kingfisher, Lilac Kingfisher, Green-backed Kingfisher, Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher, Purple-winged Roller, Sulawesi Serpent Eagle, Sulawesi Hawk-eagle, Sulawesi Goshawk,Sulawesi Hornbill, Knobbed Hornbill, Ashy Woodpecker, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, Small and Large Hanging Parrot, Ornate Lorikeet, White-bellied Imperial Pigeon, Grey-headed Imperial Pigeon, Silver-tipped Imperial Pigeon, etc.

Sangihe Islands & Talaud Islands (North Sulawesi).
Highlight species: Elegant Sunbird, Sangihe Shrike Thrush, stunning Cerulean Paradise Flycatcher , the virtually unknown Sangihe White-eye,  endangered Sangihe Golden Bulbul and The distinctive Sangihe form of Lilac-cheeked Kingfisher. Red-and-blue Lory, Talaud Kingfisher, Talaud Bush-hen and Talaud Rail, Great-billed, Blue-backed and Blue-naped Parrots, Rufous Paradise Flycatcher, the vocally-distinct inspeculata race of Red-bellied Pitta, Grey Imperial Pigeon and Rufous-tailed Bush-hen, and more..............

Banggai & Peleng Island (Central Sulawesi)
Highlight species: Sula Scrubfowl, Banggai Crow, Sula Scops-Owl, Banggai Fruit-dove,  Moluccan Kingparrot, sub species of Sulawesi Owl, Helmeted Myna and Sula Pitta, and much more..............

Sula islands (Central Sulawesi  & on border of North Maluku)
Highlight species: Bare-eyed Myna, Taliabu Masked Owl, the sulaensis form of Moluccan Scops Owl which is different from mendeni of Banggai and widely considered a separate species. new Locustella ‘Taliabu Bush Warbler’ and Phylloscopus ‘Taliabu Leaf Warbler’ were discovered in 2009, along with an undescribed form of Island Thrush and good chances to find the impressive Meyer’s Goshawk.

Taima & Luwuk (Central Sulawesi)
Highlight species: Maleo, Great-billed Kingfisher, Purple-winged Roller, Knobbed Hornbill, White-rumped Cuckoo-shrike and other endemic birds..

Togean islands (Central Sulawesi)
Highlight species: Togian White-eye and Togian Boobook

Bungku & Morowali (Central Sulawesi) 
Highlight species:  Piping Crow, Sulawesi Pitta, Maleo, Tabon Scrubfowl, Great Black)billed Kingfisher, Green-backed Kingfisher,  Lilac Kingisher, Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher, Sulawesi Swiftlet, Purple-needle-tail, Black-billed Koel, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Sulawesi Black Pigeon, Sulawesi Triller, Knobbed Hornbill,  Sulawesi Dwarf Hornbill, White-necked Myna, Sulawesi Crested Myna, Sulawesi Hawk-eagle, Sulawesi Serpent Eagle, Sulawesi Scops-owl, Speckled Boobook, Ochre-bellied Boobook, Sulawesi Masked Owl, Minahasa Masked Owl  and much more...