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BIRDING MADAGASCAR

About the Birding

Madagascar is a rather remote place located off the eastern coast of South Africa and thus time-consuming to reach from North America. Nevertheless, the travel is well worthwhile once one is there. Fewer than 300 species of birds have been recorded in the entire country, but 115 of them are endemics. In addition, Madgascar is home to over 100 species of lemurs, primitive primates found only in Madagascar. For those interested in butterflies, Madagascar features some 200 endemic butterfly species as well. It is the combination of endemic birds, endemic butterflies, and lemurs that makes Madagascar a worthwhile and truly memorable birding destination.

Planning a tour to Madagascar requires an understanding of its geography. It can be divided roughly into five regions. The southwest features an arid region of strange spiny forests and dry woodlands. The northwest features dry woodlands, swamps, and coastal estuaries. The southeast features rainforest and dry gallery forest. The east features very accessible rainforest. Finally, the northeast features lowland rainforest. Different endemics are found in each region. The northeast is difficult to reach and entails flights that are often delayed or canceled, while the other regions are more accessible. Comprehensive tours cover every region except the northeast, which is usually only offered as an extension. Shorter tours typically leave out the northwest. Domestic flights during birding tours can be problematic, as they are subject to delays or cancellations due to weather conditions. Our view is that tours with fewer flights are better even though they entail some longer drives that add a couple days to an itinerary.

Tours to this Country

Main Tours

Madagascar Bee-eater - © James F Wittenberger and Exotic Birding LLC

Madagascar Standard Birding Tour
22 days, 21 nights
2-3 Price: €7950
(Single Suppl $1150)
4+ Price: €7650
(Single Suppl $1150)
Click for Tour Details

Madagascar Extended Birding Tour
29 days, 28 nights
2-3 Price: €9900
(Single Suppl $1350)
4+ Price: €9700
(Single Suppl $1350)
Click for Tour Details

Madagascar Basic Birding Tour
17 days, 16 nights
2-3 Price: €6900
(Single Suppl $800)
4+ Price: €6600
(Single Suppl $800)
Click for Tour Details

Pre-tours

Madagascar Berenty Pre-Tour
5 days, 5 nights
2-3 Price: €2100
(Single Suppl $475)
4+ Price: €1900
(Single Suppl $475)
Click for Tour Details

Locales for Country

Amber Mountain

Anakao

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park

Andohahela National Park

Andreba Forest-Anjozorobe/Angavo

Ankarafantsika National Park

Iaroka Forest Reserve

Masoala National Park

Mitsinjo Reserve

Nosy Ve Island

Perinet Reserve

Ranomafana National Park

Torotorofotsy Marsh

Tsimanampetsotsa National Par

Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park

Tulear Mud Flats

Zombitse-Vohibasia National Park

Special Birds

DISTRIBUTION CODES

Code	Description	Code	Description
E	Endemic	LC	Local
NE	Near Endemic	RR	Restricted Range

color codes

1	Meller's Duck	Anas melleri	E
2	Bernier's Teal	Anas bernieri	E
3	Madagascar Pochard	Aythya innotata	E
4	Madagascar Partridge	Margaroperdix madagarensis	E
5	Madagascar Green-Pigeon	Treron australis	E
6	Madagascar Blue-Pigeon	Alectroenas madagascariensis	E
7	White-breasted Mesite	Mesitornis variegatus	E
8	Brown Mesite	Mesitornis unicolor	E
9	Subdesert Mesite	Monias benschi	E
10	Madagascar Sandgrouse	Pterocles personatus	E
11	Giant Coua	Coua gigas	E
12	Coquerel's Coua	Coua coquereli	E
13	Red-breasted Coua	Coua serriana	E
14	Red-fronted Coua	Coua reynaudii	E
15	Olive-capped Coua	Coua olivaceiceps	E
16	Red-capped Coua	Coua ruficeps	E
17	Running Coua	Coua cursor	E
18	Crested Coua	Coua cristata	E
19	Verreaux's Coua	Coua verreauxi	E
20	Blue Coua	Coua caerulea	E
21	Collared Nightjar	Gactornis enarratus	E
22	Madagascar Nightjar	Caprimulgus madagascariensis	E
23	Little Swift	Apus affinis	LC
24	Malagasy Palm Swift	Cypsiurus gracilis	E
25	Madagascar Rail	Rallus madagascariensis	E
26	Sakalava Rail	Zapornia olivieri	E
27	Madagascar Forest Rail	Mentocrex kioloides	E
28	Tsingy Forest Rail	Mentocrex beankaensis	E
29	Madagascar Flufftail	Sarothrura insularis	E
30	Slender-billed Flufftail	Sarothrura watersi	E
31	Madagascar Plover	Anarhynchus thoracicus	E
32	Madagascar Jacana	Actophilornis albinucha	E
33	/Eurasian Curlew/	Numenius arquata
34	/Bar-tailed Godwit/	Limosa lapponica
35	Madagascar Snipe	Gallinago macrodactyla	E
36	/Curlew Sandpiper/	Calidris ferruginea
37	Madagascar Buttonquail	Turnix nigricollis	E
38	Madagascar Pratincole	Glareola ocularis
39	Bridled Tern	Onychoprion anaethetus	LC
40	#Lesser Flamingo#	Phoenicoparrus minor
41	Madagascar Grebe	Tachybaptus pelzelnii	E
42	Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross	Thalassarche carteri
43	<Salvin's Albatross>	Thalassarche salvini
44	\|Jouanin's Petrel\|	Bulweria fallax
45	Madagascar Ibis	Lophotibis cristata	E
46	Malagasy Sacred Ibis	Threskiornis bernieri	E
47	(Malagasy Pond-Heron)	Ardeola idae	LC
48	Humblot's Heron	Ardea humbloti	E
49	Madagascar Harrier-Hawk	Polyboroides radiatus	E
50	Madagascar Serpent-Eagle	Eutriorchis astur	E
51	Madagascar Cuckoo-Hawk	Aviceda madagascariensis	E
52	Frances's Sparrowhawk	Tachyspiza francesiae	E
53	Madagascar Sparrowhawk	Accipiter madagascariensis	E
54	Henst's Goshawk	Astur henstii	E
55	Malagasy Harrier	Circus macrosceles	E
56	Madagascar Fish-Eagle	Icthyophaga vociferoides	E
57	Madagascar Buzzard	Buteo brachypterus	E
58	Red Owl	Tyto soumagnei	E
59	Madagascar Scops-Owl	Otus rutilus	E
60	White-browed Owl	Athene superciliaris	E
61	Madagascar Owl	Asio madagascariensis	E
62	Madagascar Hoopoe	Upupa marginata	E
63	Madagascar Pygmy Kingfisher	Corythornis madagascariensis	E
64	Scaly Ground-Roller	Geobiastes squamiger	E
65	Short-legged Ground-Roller	Brachypteracias leptosomus	E
66	Long-tailed Ground-Roller	Uratelornis chimaera	E
67	Pitta-like Ground-Roller	Atelornis pittoides	E
68	Rufous-headed Ground-Roller	Atelornis crossleyi	E
69	Malagasy Kestrel	Falco newtoni	E
70	Banded Kestrel	Falco zoniventris	E
71	/Sooty Falcon/	Falco concolor
72	Greater Vasa Parrot	Mascarinus vasa	NE
73	Gray-headed Lovebird	Agapornis canus	E
74	Velvet Asity	Philepitta castanea	E
75	Schlegel's Asity	Philepitta schlegeli	E
76	Common Sunbird-Asity	Neodrepanis coruscans	E
77	Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asity	Neodrepanis hypoxantha	E
78	Madagascar Cuckooshrike	Ceblepyris cinerea	E
79	Archbold's Newtonia	Newtonia archboldi	E
80	Common Newtonia	Newtonia brunneicauda	E
81	Dark Newtonia	Newtonia amphichroa	E
82	Red-tailed Newtonia	Newtonia fanovanae	E
83	Tylas Vanga	Tylas eduardi	E
84	Red-tailed Vanga	Calicalicus madagascariensis	E
85	Red-shouldered Vanga	Calicalicus rufocarpalis	E
86	Nuthatch-Vanga	Hypositta corallirostris	E
87	Chabert Vanga	Leptopterus chabert	E
88	Crossley's Vanga	Mystacornis crossleyi	E
89	Madagascar Blue Vanga	Cyanolanius madagascarinus	E
90	Hook-billed Vanga	Vanga curvirostris	E
91	Ward's Vanga	Pseudobias wardi	E
92	Rufous Vanga	Schetba rufa	E
93	Helmet Vanga	Euryceros prevostii	E
94	Bernier's Vanga	Oriolia bernieri	E
95	Sickle-billed Vanga	Falculea palliata	E
96	White-headed Vanga	Artamella viridis	E
97	Pollen's Vanga	Xenopirostris polleni	E
98	Lafresnaye's Vanga	Xenopirostris xenopirostris	E
99	Van Dam's Vanga	Xenopirostris damii	E
100	Madagascar Lark	Mirafra hova	E
101	Common Jery	Neomixis tenella	E
102	Green Jery	Neomixis viridis	E
103	Stripe-throated Jery	Neomixis striatigula	E
104	Madagascar Cisticola	Cisticola cherina	E
105	Malagasy Brush-Warbler	Nesillas typica	NE
106	Subdesert Brush-Warbler	Nesillas lantzii	E
107	Madagascar Swamp Warbler	Acrocephalus newtoni	E
108	Gray Emutail	Bradypterus seebohmi	E
109	Brown Emutail	Bradypterus brunneus	E
110	White-throated Oxylabes	Oxylabes madagascariensis	E
111	Long-billed Bernieria	Bernieria madagascariensis	E
112	Cryptic Warbler	Cryptosylvicola randrianasoloi	E
113	Wedge-tailed Jery	Hartertula flavoviridis	E
114	Thamnornis	Thamnornis chloropetoides	E
115	Madagascar Yellowbrow	Crossleyia xanthophrys	E
116	Dusky Tetraka	Crossleyia tenebrosa	E
117	Spectacled Tetraka	Xanthomixis zosterops	E
118	Appert's Tetraka	Xanthomixis apperti	E
119	Gray-crowned Tetraka	Xanthomixis cinereiceps	E
120	Rand's Warbler	Randia pseudozosterops	E
121	Madagascar Martin	Riparia cowani	E
122	Madagascar Starling	Hartlaubius auratus	E
123	Madagascar Magpie-Robin	Copsychus albospecularis	E
124	Amber Mountain Rock-Thrush	Monticola erythronotus	E
125	Malagasy Sunbird	Cinnyris notatus	NE
126	Nelicourvi Weaver	Ploceus nelicourvi	E
127	Sakalava Weaver	Ploceus sakalava	E
128	Forest Fody	Foudia omissa	E
129	Madagascar Munia	Lepidopygia nana	E
130	Madagascar Wagtail	Motacilla flaviventris	E

Bird Checklist

PRESENCE CODES

Code	Description	Code	Description
//	Boreal Visitor	\\	Austral Visitor
\|\|	Transient	##	Non-breeding Dispersal
<>	Erratic/Irregular	()	Breeding Season Only
{}	Casual/Vagrant	[]	Accidental