Kawasan Pengamatan Burung Bidadari (Wallace’s Standardwing Observatory)

Kawasan Pengamatan Burung Bidadari (Wallace’s Standardwing Observatory) can be found in Kali Batu Putih, West Halmahera regency, North Maluku province. The location is not far from Jailolo, only takes 20 minutes by vehicle. Wallace’s Standardwing (Semioptera wallacii) is a rare and endangered species of birds which becomes a great attraction for bird lovers and fauna photographers. Because of its rarity, the government has classified this birds as the must-protected birds. This endemic bird of North Maluku has such a beautiful, unique style, and its shrill voice.

The Standardwing was first discovered by Alfred Russel Wallace in Bacan Island, North Maluku, in 1858. Wallace called them as birds of paradise because of the beauty of these birds. Thenn he wrote a report of his discovery and sent it to England. A year later, the report became a study material for the ornithologists in England. These birds was then classified in the family Paradisaeidae, with the genus and species name Semioptera wallacii. The name is a tribute to Wallace, a British naturalist who lived in 1823 - 1913.

The Standardwing is also called as small cendrawasih (birds of paradise) because the length of its body is only about 28 cm. The uniqueness of these birds is because they can dance. During the breeding season, the male birds will perform beautiful dances to seduce the female birds and show off his feathers by flying and spreading his wings. They will also spread their green chest protector feathers, as well as expending two pairs of his white feathers as their trademarks. If the females are interested, they will come and choose one of the males which were judged as the greatest dancer. 

The best time to see the birds dance and sing beautifully is in the morning between 5:30 am - 06:30 am. After that time, the birds usually fly to the forest, looking for food.