Madagascar’s Extensive Birding Tours - 24 days
| Top targets | Madagascan Sacred Ibis, Madagascan Fish Eagle, Henst’s Goshawk, Bernier’s Teal , Long-tailed, Rufous-headed, Pitta-like, Short-legged Ground Roller, Subdesert, Brown & White-breasted Mesite, Coquerel’s Coua, Giant Coua, Verreaux’s Coua, Running Coua, Crested Coua, Blue Coua, Red-breasted Coua, Schlegel’s Asity, Velvet Asity, Helmet Vanga, Bernier’s Vanga, Red-shouldered Vanga, Pollen’s Vanga, Van Dam’s Vanga, Nuthatch Vanga, Sickle-billed Vanga, Madagascan Buzzard, Benson’s Rock Thrush, Appert’s Tetraka, Madagascar Wood Rail, Madagascan Flufftail, Madagascan Sandgrouse, Pygmy goose, White-backed duck |
| Habitats & land cover type | Rainforest, semi-desert, Savannah, spiny forest, grassland, shores. |
| Best season | September to November – breeding seasons for most birds |
| Climate | Warm to very hot, cooler evenings in highlands, some rainfall possible |
| Walking pace | Moderate to strenuous |
| Ease of birdwatching | Moderate to challenging in the rainforest |
| Particularity | Rich and diverse habitats |
| Other attractions | Wildlife viewing, marine reserves. |
| Group size | Private tour. |
| Accommodation: | Comfortable hotels and lodges – as per availability in the area. |
This is a comprehensive tour covering most of the birding hotspots ranging in the four biomes of Madagascar.
As much as species possible is spotted during these 24-days.
Most endemics will be spotted within the four main biomes and habitats. This tours offers more flexibility in terms of schedule and pace.
EXPECTED TARGETS IN THE MAJOR SITES
1- Tsimanapetsotsa
Madagascan Grebe , Dimorphic Egret, Western Cattle Egret, Glossy Ibis, African spoonbill , Yellow-billed Stork, African Openbill , Lesser Flamingo , Greater Flamingo, White-faced Whistling-Duck, Fulvous Whistling Duck, Red-billed Teal, Hottentot Teal, Bernier’s Teal, Knob-billed Duck, Yellow-billed Kite, Madagascan Harrier-Hawk, Madagascan Buzzard, Madagascan Cuckoo-Hawk, Henst’s Goshawk , Madagascan Sparrowhawk, Frances’s Sparrowhawk, Malagasy Kestrel, Banded Kestrel, Sooty Falcon, Peregrine Falcon , Eleonora’s Falcon, Common Quail, Harlequin Quail , Madagascan Partridge, Helmeted Guineafowl, Madagascan Buttonquail, White-throated Rail, African Swamphen, Common Moorhen, Red-knobbed Coot, Greater Painted-Snipe, Black-winged Stilt, Whimbrel , Eurasian curlew, Terek Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Marsh sandpiper, Black-bellied (Grey) Plover , Ruddy Turnstone , Curlew Sandpiper, Sanderling, Madagascan Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Kittlitz’s Plover , Three-banded Plover, Greater Sandplover , Lesser Sand Plover, White-fronted Plover, Kelp Gull, Caspian Tern , Lesser Crested Tern, Madagascan Sandgrouse, Namaqua Dove, Green Pigeon, Malagasy Turtle Dove, Grey-headed Lovebird, Lesser Vasa Parrot, Greater Vasa Parrot, Madagascan Cuckoo, Coquerel’s Coua, Crested Coua, Running Coua, Green-capped Coua, Giant Coua, Verreaux’s Coua, Madagascan Coucal, Malagasy Scops Owl, Western Barn Owl, White-browed Hawk-owl, Madagascan Owl, Madagascan Nightjar, Marsh Owl, Madagascan Spinetail, African Palm Swift, Alpine Swift, Malagasy Black Swift , Malagasy Kingfisher, Olive Bee-eater, Broad-billed Roller, Cuckoo Roller, Madagascan Hoopoe, Madagascan Lark, Madagascan Wagtail, Mascarene Martin, Madagascan Magpie-Robin , Littoral Rock Thrush , Madagascan Stonechat, Subdesert Brush-Warbler, Madagascan Cisticola, Madagascan Swamp Warbler , Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher , Striped-throated Jery, Common Jery , Madagascan Bulbul , Thamnornis , Malagasy white eye, Malagasy Green Sunbird, Soimanga Sunbird, Chabert’s Vanga, White-headed Vanga , Blue Vanga, Sickle-billed Vanga, Red-tailed Vanga, Red-shouldered Vanga, Lafresnaye’s Vanga, Hook-billed Vanga, Tylas Vanga, Common Newtonia, Dark Newtonia, Madagascan Cuckooshrike, Crested Drongo, Pied Crow , Madagascan Starling, Common Myna, Sakalava Weaver, Red Fody
2- Ifaty – Tulear
Thick-billed Cuckoo, Madagascan Cuckoo-Hawk, Hottentot Teal, Black-winged Stilt, Lesser Crested Tern, Saunder’s Tern, Greater Sandplover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Striated Heron, Humblot’s Heron, Great White Egret , White-throated Rail, Greater Painted-Snipe, Whimbrel, Common Greenshank, Ruddy Turnstone, Hamerkop, Malagasy Harrier, Purple Swamphen
3- Near Tulear
Green-capped Coua, Madagascan Buttonquail, Saunder’s Tern, Greater Sandplover , Bar-tailed Godwit, Lesser Sand Plover, Humblot’s Heron, White-throated Rail, Greater Painted-Snipe, Madagascan Lark
4- Zombitse
Appert’s Tetraka, Frances’s Sparrowhawk, Long-billed Bernieria, Coquerel’s Coua, Giant Coua, Crested Coua, Cuckoo Roller, Malagasy Sacred Ibis, White-browed Hawk-owl, Madagascan Cuckoo, Common Newtonia, Broad-billed Roller, Long-billed Bernieria/ tetraka / greenbul, Rufous Vanga , Red-tailed Vanga, Blue Vanga, Hook-billed Vanga, Common Newtonia, Madagascan Buttonquail, Malagasy Turtle Dove, Namaqua Dove , Madagascan Hoopoe, White-browed Hawk-Owl, Olive Bee-eater, Malagasy Kestrel, Pied Crow , Madagascan Lark, Common Jery , Yellow-billed Kite , Greater Vasa Parrot, Lesser Vasa Parrot, Marsh Owl, Torotoroka Scops Owl, Madagascan Buzzard, Malagasy Coucal, Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher, Madagascan Lark, Madagascan Cisticola, Souimanga Sunbird, Madagascan Magpie-Robin, Malagasy White-eye
5- Isalo
Forest Rock Thrush, Purple Heron, Madagascan Partridge, White-browed Hawk-owl, White-faced Whistling-Duck, Madagascan Lark, Peregrine Falcon , Scooty Falcon, White-throated Rail, Madagascan Coucal, Marsh Owl, Olive Bee-eater, Grey-headed Lovebird, Greater Vasa Parrot, Pied Crow, Malagasy Bulbul, Madagascan Cisticola, Common Myna, Madagascan Mannikin, Madagascan Hoopoe
6-Ranomafana
Madagascan Cisticola, Broad-billed Roller, Cuckoo Roller, Madagascan Cuckoo, Madagascan Cuckooshrike, Madagascan Harrier-Hawk, Madagascan Magpie-Robin , Madagascan Mannikin, Madagascan Wagtail, Madagascan Flufftail, Malagasy Black Swift , Malagasy Bulbul, Madagascan Coucal, Malagasy Kestrel, Malagasy Kingfisher, Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher , Ward’s Flycatcher, Malagasy Turtle Dove, Malagasy white eye, Rainforest Scops Owl, Red Fody, Forest Fody, Spectacled Tetraka, Grey-crowned Tetraka, Striated Heron, Hamerkop , Henst’s Goshawk, African Palm-Swift, Malagasy Black Swift, Crested Drongo, Malagasy Brush Warbler, Rand’s Warbler, Cryptic Warbler, Grey Emutail, White-throated Oxylabes, Forest Rock Thrush, Nelicourvi Weaver, Madagascan Wood Rail, Meller’s Duck, Mascarene Martin, Brown Mesite, Yellow-bellied Sunbird Asity, Velvet Asity, Malagasy Green Sunbird, Common Sunbird Asity, Schlegel’s Asity, Rufous-headed Ground-Roller, Pitta-like Ground Roller, Madagascan Sparrowhawk, Dark Newtonia, Common Newtonia, Blue Vanga, Pollen’s Vanga, Red-tailed Vanga, Tylas Vanga, Crossley’s Vanga, Blue Coua, Red-fronted Coua, Madagascan Blue Pigeon, Nelicourvi Weaver, Forest Rock Thrush, Lesser Vasa Parrot, Peregrine Falcon , Long-billed Bernieria, African Pygmy Goose, Striated Heron, Madagascan Buzzard, Common Jery , Green Jery, Striped-throated Jery, Wedge-tailed Jery, Madagascan Yellowbrow.
7- Ranomafana mid-altitude
Pitta-like Ground Roller, Madagascan Wood Rail, Madagascan Pygmy Kingfisher, Velvet Asity, Wedge-tailed Jery, Rand’s Warbler, White-throated Oxylabes, Ward’s Flycatcher, Henst’s Goshawk , Madagascan Snipe, Madagascan Brush-Warbler, Grey Emutail, Madagascan Yellowbrow, Grey-crowned Tetraka, Cryptic Warbler, Crossley’s Vanga , Madagascan Rail, Sooty Falcon, African Palm Swift, Madagascan Buttonquail, Common Myna, Common Newtonia, Crested Drongo, Forest Fody, Greater Vasa Parrot, Hamerkop
8- Vohiparara
Rufous-headed Ground-Roller, Yellow-bellied Sunbird Asity, Madagascan Snipe, Blue Vanga, Pollen’s Vanga, Tylas Vanga, White-headed Vanga, Pollen’s Vanga, Brown Emutail, Grey Emutail, Green Jery, Striped-throated Jery, Wedge-tailed Jery, Common Jery , Common Sunbird Asity, Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asity, Malagasy Green Sunbird, Cryptic Warbler, Dark Newtonia, Cuckoo Roller, Forest Fody, Forest Rock Thrush, Grey-crowned Tetraka, Madagascan Cuckoo, Madagascan Cuckooshrike, Madagascan Flufftail, Madagascan Magpie-Robin , Madagascan Yellowbrow, Madagascan Brush-Warbler, Malagasy Bulbul, Malagasy Green Sunbird, Pitta-like Ground Roller, Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher , Cryptic Warbler, Rand’s Warbler, Grey-crowned Tetraka, Madagascan Flufftail, Pitta-like Ground Roller, Rufous-headed Ground Roller, Forest Fody
9- Betsiboka Delta
Bernier’s Teal, Madagascan Ibis, Terek Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Curlew Sandpiper, Whimbrel , Common Sandpiper, Dimorphic Egret, Lesser Flamingo, Greater Flamingo, Great Crested (Swift) Tern , Saunders’s Tern, Lesser Crested Tern, Sandwich Tern, Sanderling, Malagasy Kestrel, African Openbill , Crab-Plover
10- Anakao
Littoral Rock Thrush, Caspian Tern.
11- Andasibe
Little Grebe, Squacco Heron, Madagascan Wood Rail, White-throated Rail, Malagasy Sacred Ibis, Malagasy Scops Owl, Madagascan Owl, Rainforest Scops Owl, Collared Nightjar, Madagascan Nightjar, Red-breasted Coua, Blue Coua, Madagascan Cuckoo, Madagascan Pygmy Kingfisher, Malagasy Kingfisher, Spectacled Tetraka, Short-legged Ground Roller, Rufous-headed Ground-Roller, Scaly Ground Roller, Pitta-like Ground Roller, Nelicourvi Weaver, Velvet Asity, Common Sunbird Asity, Souimanga Sunbird, Malagasy Green Sunbird, Tylas Vanga, Hook- billed Vanga, Red-tailed Vanga, Crossley’s Vanga, France’s Sparrowhawk , Madagascan Sparrowhawk, Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher , Ward’s Flycatcher, Olive Bee-eater, Madagascan Flufftail, Sooty Falcon, Madagascan Coucal, Dark Newtonia, Common Newtonia, Crested Drongo, Malagasy Bulbul, Malagasy Brush Warbler, Cryptic Warbler, Rand’s Warbler, Common Jery, Green Jery, Stripe-throated Jery, Madagascan Cisticola, Madagascan Magpie-Robin, Madagascan Stonechat, Long-billed Bernieria, Madagascan Mannikin, Madagascan Wagtail
12- Tsarasaotra
White-faced Whistling-Duck, Knob-billed Duck, Malagasy Pond Heron, Squacco Heron, Black Heron, Dimorphic Egret, Great White Egret, Western Cattle Egret, Comb Duck, Fulvous Whistling Duck, Red-billed Teal/ Duck, White-throated Rail, Madagascan Swamp Warbler , Hottentot Teal, Red Fody, Madagascan Coucal, Madagascan Wagtail, Malagasy Kingfisher, Malagasy white eye, Yellow-billed Kite, Madagascan Mannikin, Malagasy Kestrel, Mascarene Martin, Meller’s Duck, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Common Moorhen, Long-tailed Cormorant, Madagascan Cuckoo, African Pygmy Goose, Baillon’s Crake, Common Myna, Madagascan Stonechat.
13- Ampijoroa
White-faced Whistling-Duck, White-throated Rail, Purple Heron, Malagasy Sacred Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Madagascan Jacana, Humblot’s Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Western Cattle Egret, Olive Bee-eater, Crested Drongo, Mascarene Martin, Broad-billed Roller, Chabert’s Vanga, Van Dam’s Vanga, Sickle-billed Vanga, Blue Vanga, White-headed Vanga, Rufous Vanga, Hook-billed Vanga, White-breasted Mesite, Schlegel’s Asity, Coquerel’s Coua, Crested Coua, Madagascan Hoopoe, Cuckoo Roller, Red-capped Coua, Madagascan Fish Eagle, Malagasy Kingfisher, Allen’s Gallinule, African Darter, Banded Kestrel, France’s Sparrowhawk , Sakalava Weaver, Madagascan Magpie-Robin , Grey-headed Lovebird, Madagascan Nightjar, Madagascan Sparrowhawk, Madagascan Buzzard, Madagascan Buttonquail, Malagasy Green Sunbird, Souimanga Sunbird, Long-billed Bernieria, Sooty Falcon, Lesser Vasa Parrot, Greater Vasa Parrot, Malagasy Turtle Dove, Madagascan Coucal, Madagascan Cuckoo, Common Newtonia, Malagasy Bulbul, Mascarene Martin, Madagascan Swamp Warbler , Common Jery , Torotoroka Scops Owl, Madagascan Cuckooshrike, Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher
14- Masoala
Helmet Vanga Bernier’s Vanga, White-headed Vanga , Blue Vanga , Nuthatch Vanga , Chabert’s Vanga, Rufous Vanga , Tylas Vanga , Hook-billed Vanga , Red-breasted Coua, Brown Mesite , Rufous-headed Ground Roller, Pitta-like Ground Roller, Short-legged Ground Roller, Scaly Ground Roller, Madagascan Serpent Eagle, Red Owl, Dusky Tetraka, Scooty Falcon, Rainforest Scops Owl, Common Jery, Green Jery
ITINERARY OUTLINE
Meet and greet at the airport. Transfer to your hotel and check in. Tour briefing.
Drive eastwards to Andasibe/Périnet. Birding on the way. On arrival, birding at Analamazaotra National Park and/or VOIMMA Reserve.
Transfer to Mantadia Reserve to spot birds and other wildlife.
Early morning depart to Maromizaha, a nearby Reserve to spot other species.
Then drive back to Antananarivo in the afternoon.
Fly to Tulear. Then drive to Ifaty. On the way, birding at Belalanda Lake and other spots if time allows – otherwise the next day morning.
Birding in Ifaty inside the spiny, baobab forests and its surroundings.
Early departure to Tulear and then to Andatabo for birding. Return to the harbor and boat transfer to Anakao.
Drive southwards to the village of Ambola. In the afternoon, drive to Tsimanapetsotsa National Park for birding.
Return to the Park for birding and drive back to Anakao.
In the afternoon, boat transfer to Nosy Ve for birding.
Boat transfer to Tulear and drive to Zombitse National Park. Stop and birding.
Continue to Isalo.
Day exploration and hiking inside the National Park.
Whole day drive to Ampijoroa/Ankarafantsika National Park. On the way, stops at some birding spots along the way.
Continue westwards to the coast. On the way, stops at some marshes.
River boat trip upstream the Betsiboka River to Bombetoka islet. Birding and return to Majunga.
Continue to Ampitolova Lake for birding – and fly back to Antananarivo.
Transfer to the airport and fly to Maroantsetra. Due to the tide and wind in the afternoon, the transfer to Masoala should be the next day.
Boat transfer to the Masoala peninsula. Birding inside teh park.
Continue exploring the park. After the lunch, transfer to the Marine Reserve and enjoy the lagoon and birding in the surrounding forest.
Early morning boat transfer to Maroantsetra and fly back to Antananarivo
Visit of the Lake Tsarasaotra and transfer to the airport.
End of the tour.
TOUR OPTIONS & EXTENSIONS
The spots below can be added to this tour according your targets and interests
Iaroka Reserve is an alternative to Masoala National Park.
Top targets: Helmet-Vanga, Nutach Vanga
Baobabs trees, Fossa and birds,
* This program is subject to adjustment as per the flight schedules