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Overview
Sulawesi, aka Celebes, is Indonesia's fourth largest island (the world's eleventh) and its third largest by population. The island has a strange, vaguely starfish shape with four main "arms". It lies to the east of Wallace's line but nonetheless has many Asian faunal components such as Anoa, macaques and tarsiers. Much of the interior is mountainous with altitudes which may exceed 2,000 m.
Birds
Mainland Sulawesi has around 410 bird species.
Endemics
Mainland Sulawesi has between 71 and 77 endemic species depending on authority. This compares favourably with Colombia, the country with the most bird species. That has roughly the same number of endemics (80-90ish) but is around 6.5 times larger!
Hylocitrea may deserve its own family.
In the following list, some species may occur on neighbouring islands in the Moluccas. See: Maleo, Sulawesi Ground Dove, Red-eared Fruit-Dove, Maroon-chinned Fruit-Dove, White-bellied Imperial-Pigeon (with the Sula islands), Grey-headed Imperial-Pigeon, Silver-tipped Imperial-Pigeon (with adjacent islands), Sombre Pigeon, Bay Coucal (with adjacent islands), Yellow-billed Malkoha (with adjacent islands), Sulawesi Cuckoo, Diabolical Nightjar, Sulawesi Nightjar (with adjacent islands), Snoring Rail, Blue-faced Rail (with Peleng Islands), Isabelline Bush-hen, Sulawesi Serpent-Eagle (with adjacent islands), Sulawesi Goshawk (with adjacent islands), Spot-tailed Goshawk (with adjacent islands), Small Sparrowhawk, Minahasa Masked-Owl, Sulawesi Masked-Owl, Sulawesi Scops-Owl (with adjacent islands), Ochre-bellied Boobook (with Buntung Island), Cinnabar Boobook, Speckled Boobook, Knobbed Hornbill (with adjacent islands), Sulawesi Hornbill, Sulawesi Lilac Kingfisher (with Lembeh Island), Talaud Kingfisher (with the Talaud Islands), Green-backed Kingfisher, Scaly-breasted Kingfisher, Purple-bearded Bee-eater, Purple-winged Roller, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, Ashy Woodpecker, Ornate Lorikeet, Yellow-cheeked Lorikeet, Sulawesi Hanging-Parrot, Pygmy Hanging-Parrot, Sulawesi Pitta, Dark-eared Myza, White-eared Myza, Sulawesi Myzomela, Pied Cuckooshrike, Cerulean Cuckooshrike, White-rumped Cuckooshrike, Pygmy Cuckooshrike, Sulawesi Cicadabird, Maroon-backed Whistler, Sulphur-bellied Whistler, Sulawesi Drongo, Banggai Crow, Piping Crow, Malia, Togian Golden-Bulbul, Sulawesi Leaf Warbler, Streak-headed White-eye, Black-crowned White-eye, Sulawesi White-eye, Black-ringed White-eye, Sulawesi Babbler, Fiery-browed Myna, Sulawesi Myna, White-necked Myna, Geomalia, Sulawesi Thrush, Sulawesi Brown Flycatcher, Matinan Flycatcher, Blue-fronted Flycatcher, Great Shortwing, Rufous-throated Flycatcher, Lompobattang Flycatcher, Hylocitrea, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Grey-sided Flowerpecker
Notable Species
There are also various regional endemics or species found on / shared with nearby islands:
Sula Megapode, Green Junglefowl, White-faced Cuckoo-Dove, Gray-cheeked Green-Pigeon, Elegant Imperial-Pigeon, Pink-headed Imperial-Pigeon, Black-billed Koel, Black-backed Swamphen, Talaud Bush-hen, Javan Plover, Sulawesi Woodcock, Sulawesi Hawk-Eagle, Vinous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Sulawesi Dwarf-Kingfisher, Sangihe Lilac Kingfisher, Great-billed Kingfisher, Spotted Kestrel, Yellow-crested Cockatoo, Golden-mantled Racquet-tail, Yellow-breasted Racquet-tail, Sangihe Hanging-Parrot, Purple-naped Lory, Red-and-blue Lory, Sula Hanging-Parrot, Slaty Cuckooshrike, White-shouldered Triller, White-rumped Triller, Sangihe Whistler, Drab Whistler, Ivory-backed Woodswallow, Sangihe Golden-Bulbul, Lompobattang Leaf Warbler, Finch-billed Myna, Helmeted Myna, Javan Myna, Pale-bellied Myna, Rusty-backed Thrush, Red-and-black Thrush, Banggai Jungle Flycatcher, Red-chested Flowerpecker, Elegant Sunbird, Pale-headed Munia
Other Wildlife
Sulawesi has 230 species of mammals. Around half are endemic: some 111 species. They include the largest viverrid in the world, the Sulawesi Palm Civet. (Note that the fossa of Madagascar has traditionally been treated as a viverrid but is now placed in the Malagasy endemic family Eupleridae. It is heavier but has a shorter head-body length.) Better known inhabitants include macaques (7 species), Anoa (2 species), tarsiers and Babirusa.
Access and Facilities
There are airports at Makassar (main), Manado and Pula. Most visitors fly from Jakarta.
Selected Sites
- Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park (previous name Dumoga Bone National Park)
- Lore Lindu National Park
- Tangkoko-Batu Angus Nature Reserve
