Birdwatching in Luku Melolo (Nusa Tenggara)

Luku Melolo

A spectacular valley, with steep limestone escarpments protecting 7,800 ha of forest. On the eastern side of the valley a mosaic of forest and open grasslands that survives along the top of the escarpment is a great place to see many of sumba’s endemic birds.

Key species

Peregrine Falcon, Short-toed Eagle, Sumba Hornbill, Citron-crested race of Yellow-crested Cockatoo, Sumba Green Pigeon, Sumba Cicadabird, Sumba Flycatcher, Sumba Brown Flycatcher, Red-headed Myzomela.

Getting there

Melolo village is 62 km (2 hrs) by road east of Waingapu. Buses leave the terminal about every hour (fare IDR 15.000). the turning up to Luku Melolo forest is the first on the right after the bridge in Melolo. Truck-buses are rare, and without your own transport you will have to rely on hitching on one of the infrequent vehicles for the 21 km, uphill drive to the forest.

General information

Bird along the road from km 21 to km 25, with frequent excursions into the forest fragments and to the edge of the escarpment to look over the valley. At the small village of Paberamanera (km 25) a trail leads down to the river.

Birdwatching in Yumbu Mangroves

Yumbu Mangroves

A beautiful band of mangroves, fronted by coral flats, 2 km down a track off the main Waingapu-Melolo Road. A lovely place to look for terns, Grey-tailed Tattler, and there’s a possibility of Great-billed Heron.

Getting there

From Waingapu take the road easr to Melolo. If traveling by bus ask for Jambatan Yumba and get off 3-4 km after passing through Watumbaka, just after a bridge (close to km post 17)

General information

Follow a track on the left for 1.2 km to the back of the mangroves. The dry grasslands on either side of the track are where Sumba Button-quail has been seen. The track leads to a house, where there is a stream running through the mangroves. Wade along the stream to get to the coral flats.