Experience Ubud's Birdsong: Guided Bali Bird Walks
Discover the natural symphony of Ubud's avian inhabitants through guided bird walks in Bali. Explore lush landscapes while spotting endemic species with expert local guides.
A morning of birdwatching in the Ubud countryside with Bali Bird Walk brings back a love for the great outdoors.
I have had a copy of Victor Mason’s ‘Birds of Bali’ book for a few years: a charming, watercolour-illustrated compendium of the island’s fabulous variety of avian inhabitants.
“Of the 300 or so species of birds reported to visit or live in Bali, probably rather less than 100 are likely to be encountered by the casual observer, which is roughly the number described and illustrated in this little book,” writes the author, an Englishman who had called Ubud his home since 1974.
Birds of Bali was first published in 1989, and Victor Mason’s passion for birds progressed beyond the pages with the founding of the Bali Bird Walk in 1992 , a walking tour through the verdant fringes of Ubud, spotting birds, butterflies and botanical beauties. Though Victor Mason sadly passed away in 2022, the bird walks continue to this day, run by Balinese bird enthusiast Wayan Sumadi, who was out in the field with Victor on the very first bird walk , and is thus a consummate pro when it comes to birdwatching in Bali!
Su, as she is better known, asks us to gather at the famous Ubud eatery, Murni’s Warung, at 9am sharp. Her enthusiastic energy can rouse even the heaviest cases of non-early risers, handing out binoculars as she warmly welcomes.
Bali Bird Walks sees a whole spectrum of participants, from professional ornithologists to backyard birdwatchers, and tourists simply searching for a unique way to explore Ubud’s natural surroundings. But experience matters not, as Su guides each and every eye into the trees and skies.
“Quick, everyone gather here!” She beckons, corralling the group into the parking area. “You see in the trees there, Golden-headed Cisticola. Ahh you hear that? Yellow-bellied Bulbul… in Bali, they are the first ones to sing in the morning.” The walk had not even begun, but the morning birdlife was thronging around the Campuhan Bridge, above the sacred confluence of the Wos River.
A five-minute drive takes us to the walk’s start point on the backside of Penestanan , a beautiful pocket of countryside sandwiched between two of Ubud’s busiest roads, a sylvan oasis maintained by the local subak, or the rice farming community, ensconced by valleys and local vegetation.
Taking time to notice the vibrance and details of the Ubud countryside
The walk is easy-going, following the established farmers’ paths that meander through the rice fields, by trickling streams, or under the shade of mighty banyans. These shifting surroundings promise a variety of wildlife to spot, an activity that quickly incites a lot of excitement in the group, stirred by Su’s infectious enthusiasm.
“There! A Cave Swiflet! Look how its keeps flapping its wings, that’s not a swallow , they glide. There! That’s a White Nest Swallow , oh you won’t catch a photo, too fast!”
It’s almost as
