Madagascar’s Paramount Birding tours - 15 days

For this tour, we focus mostly on the endemic families and species of the birds of Madagascar within five different habitats.

Our tour starts in Antananarivo to reach Ampijoroa, a must-visited site for all birders visiting Madagascar. It is included in Ankarafantsika Reserve, in the dry deciduous forest. This site gives a real snapshot of the western biome of Madagascar. The Lake Ravelobe, home for several aquatic birds also gives an extra dimension to the birdlife at Ankarafantsika. The trails are quite easy but the temperature can rise up to 38° centigrade during birding season.

Our second destination is Analamazaotra/Mantadia, parts of Andasibe. It is located in the rainforest of the Eastern biome. The terrain consists of robust hills and mountain ridges, with many valleys and rivers but our birding trails are quite fair. The humid evergreen forest gives a great habitat for forest birds. An extension to Maromizaha Reserve, a nearby forest managed by the local community is an extra rewarding birding time.

We shall head south then to Ifaty, a small village west of Toliary to spot few rare species in the spiny forest, like the very rare Long-tailed ground roller, the Sub-desert Mesite amongst others.
We will continue south to the splendid park of Tsimanapetsotsa. It composed of a lake and bushland area on a sandy plain and limestone terrain. The Tsimanapetsotsa Lake is shallow and has a milky colour, being the only soda-saturated lake in Madagascar. It is a real pleasure to spot the birds around the lake and throughout the Baobabs trees. Sandgrouse, Flamingos, Verraux Coua amongst other species are quite abundant and easy to spot compared to other areas due to the strict preservation of the habitat. Tortoises Radiata, Catta lemurs and Propithecus Verrauxi (Sifaka) can be observed closer here.

To conclude our southern adventure, we shall make a quick visit to Andatabo, a nearby bushland by the RN7 to spot the rare Red-Shouldered Vanga.

We shall then head to the North East, the opposite ecosystem of the south. The jungle of Masoala Peninsula – classified amongst the top 5 biodiversity hotspots in the World. We will focus our birding trails in the forested massif of the peninsula in the west and in the around the marine reserve of Tampolo. Our main target is the Helmeted-Vanga as Masoala remains the main easiest site to observe this rare species compared to the newly discovered site where there are very challenging hikes before reaching the spot.

We have the Lake Tsarasaotra left to conclude our adventure tour.

In sum, this tour covers the three biomes of the country and rise the chance to see the most endemics birds of Madagascar within a limited time frame.

Note: The Helmet Vanga has been inventoried and observed at Antavolobe – Iaroka– near Andasibe, during the past two years but the access remains challenging as 4 to 7-hour walk is required to reach the spot.

EXPECTED TARGETS IN THE MAJOR SITES

1 – 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.

2- Andasibe – Analamazaotra
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

3- Mantadia
Meller’s Duck, Madagascan Grebe, Madagascan Rail, Madagascan Wood Rail, White-throated Rail, Short-legged Ground Roller, Scaly Ground Roller, Rufous-headed Ground Roller, Madagascan Spinetail, Nuthatch Vanga, Tylas Vanga, Red-tailed Vanga, Hook-billed Vanga, White-headed Vanga, Blue Vanga, Forest Fody, Greater Vasa Parrot, Lesser Vasa Parrot, Madagascan Starling, Madagascan Blue Pigeon, Rand’s Warbler, Striped-throated Jery, Wedge-tailed Jery, Collared Nightjar, Madagascan Pygmy Kingfisher, Red-breasted Coua, Red-fronted Coua, Blue Coua, Red owl, Brown Mesite , Madagascan Cuckoo, Broad-billed Roller, Green Jery, Cuckoo Roller, Common Newtonia, Dark Newtonia, Common Sunbird-Asity, Souimanga Sunbird, Malagasy Green Sunbird, Crested Drongo, Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher, Malagasy Bulbul, Rand’s Warbler, Malagasy Brush Warbler, Madagascan Swamp Warbler, Brown Emutail, White-throated Oxylabes, Spectacled Tetraka, Dusky Tetraka, Madagascan Stonechat, Nelicourvi Weaver, Madagascan Flufftail, Rainforest Scops Owl, Madagascan Owl, Mascarene Martin, Madagascan Magpie-Robin, Forest Rock Thrush, Madagascan Mannikin, Madagascan Wagtail

4- 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

5- 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

6- Nosy Ve
Red-tailed tropic bird

7- Ifaty
Little Grebe , Little Bittern, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Squacco Heron , Western Cattle Egret, Striated (Green-backed) Heron , Black Heron , Dimorphic Egret , Great White Egret , Grey Heron , Hamerkop, Red-billed Teal, Hottentot Teal , Yellow-billed Kite , White-throated Rail , Allen’s Gallinule, Purple Swamphen, Greater Painted-snipe , Black-winged Stilt, Black-bellied (Grey) Plover , Little Ringed Plover, Kittlitz’s Plover, White-fronted Plover, Three-banded Plover , Greater Sandplover , Ruddy Turnstone , Common Greenshank , Common Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper , Whimbrel, Namaqua Dove, Madagascan Harrier-Hawk, Malagasy Harrier, Malagasy Kestrel, Madagascan Buttonquail, Madagascan Plover, Malagasy Turtle Dove, Grey-headed Lovebird, Madagascan Cuckoo, Madagascan Coucal, Madagascan Nightjar, Alpine Swift, African (Black) Swift, Malagasy Kingfisher, Olive Bee-eater, Madagascan Hoopoe, Madagascan Lark, Mascarene Martin , Barn Swallow, Madagascan Bulbul , Madagascan Magpie-Robin, Madagascan Swamp Warbler , Subdesert Brush-Warbler, Common jery, Madagascan Cisticola, Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher , Malagasy Green Sunbird, Souimanga sunbird, Chabert’s vanga, Crested drongo, Pied crow, Common Myna, Sakalava weaver, Red Fody, Madagascan Mannikin

8- 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

9- Anakao
Littoral Rock Thrush, Caspian Tern.

10- Andatabo
Red-shouldered Vanga, Verreaux’s Coua, Subdesert Brush Warbler, Red-capped Coua , Madagascan Cuckoo, Madagascan Green Pigeon, Lafresnaye’s Vanga

9- 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

10- Ampitolova
Pygmy goose, White-backed duck, Madagascar Jacana