A sabbatical year for Cathy meant we could take a birding trip at a time of year when teaching duties normally preclude travel. For some time we had wanted to visit Madagascar, best birded in the northern hemisphere autumn. October and November (early spring) are considered to be the best birding months there, as breeding is underway, northern hemisphere and African migrants are present, and the summer rains have not yet started. The endemic ground-rollers in particular are difficult to find at other times of the year when they are not calling. October and November are of course also the peak months for organized birding tours, which means it can be difficult for independent birders to get access to the limited accommodations and best local guides at some locations. As a result, we decided to risk a visit in the second half of September, knowing that we might be too early to find some species. We needn’t have worried, however, as the only species we missed as a result of the timing of our trip were Madagascar Pratincole, Madagascar Pond-Heron in breeding plumage, and migrant raptors such as Sooty and Eleanora’s Falcons, none of them strictly endemic to Madagascar.
We made arrangements for our trip through the South African company Birding Africa (http://www.birdingafrica.com/). Normally we try to use in-country agents, but were unable to find much information in advance about Malagasy companies that could arrange birding tours. Birding Africa came highly recommended in several trip reports (for instance, that of Ian Merrill, http://www.surfbirds.com/trip_report.php?id=1479); in addition to running several group tours to Madagascar each year they are happy to arrange custom tours that follow a similar itinerary. Our guide was Rija Ratotonirina, a freelance birding guide who works for Birding Africa as well as several other companies. Rija was absolutely terrific, a very personable young Malagasy who is both an excellent birder and the consummate tour guide, looking out for our personal comfort at all times and ensuring that our travel and birding arrangements went off without a hitch. In the parks, Rija worked closely with the local guides, meaning we had two excellent birding guides accompanying us at most times. Rija can be contacted at ratoto.vero@gmail.com. We recommend him highly!
We settled on a very standard birding itinerary that would first take us to Andasibe (Anamalazoatra Special Reserve) and Mantadia NP, three hours east of Antananarivo (“Tana”), followed by a 700 km drive to Toliara on the southwest coast, en route visiting Ranomafana NP, Isalo NP, Zombitse NP, and the spiny forest at Ifaty. Finally, we would fly back to Tana and then on to Mahajanga in the northwest to visit Ampijoroa (Ankarafantsika NP). The majority of the Malagasy endemics can be seen on this route. We considered an extension to the Masoala Peninsula, the only location for Helmet Vanga, but decided the additional 4 days and €4000 it would entail was a bit steep for one additional species, spectacular as it might be! Several other endemics also have very localized distributions and require special trips to see (e.g. Amber Mountain Rock Thrush, Sakalava Rail, Red-tailed Newtonia), and a few are simply so rare there is no reliable place to find them (Madagascar Serpent Eagle, Madagascar Red Owl, Slender-billed Flufftail).
From the western hemisphere, the main jumping off point for Madagascar is Paris, with both Air France and Air Madagascar flying to Tana more or less daily. We opted to fly the slightly less expensive Air Madagascar, which turned out to be an unwise decision as they canceled our return flight on short notice (the rumored explanation was that the Malagasy government had failed to make payments on a plane leased from another airline). Fortunately, we found out about the cancellation several days in advance, and Birding Africa was able to get us out of the country on an Air France flight. Malagasy guides told us that Air Mad is notorious for these sorts of cancellations, and while they are the only option for domestic flights, we were (belatedly!) advised to avoid using them for international travel.
Our accommodations ran the gamut from high-end luxury hotels in Tana and Isalo NP, to fairly basic but comfortable quarters in most other locations. The French influence is very much evident in the cuisine, and the hotel food ranged from good to really excellent, especially the seafood and the zebu (local beef) that was on most menus. We had come prepared to battle mosquitoes, but saw very few, and were never bothered by them while out birding (only occasionally in our rooms, most of which were equipped with bed nets). We did encounter a few leeches in the forest at Mantadia, but they are so small (relative to other parts of the world!) they were really no concern. In general, we found Madagascar to be a very benign country for birding, with no poisonous snakes, plants or other noxious wildlife to worry about. That said, birding in the Malagasy forests is not easy, and this was undoubtedly one of the more physically strenuous birding trips we’ve taken. The terrain in the east is quite steep and slippery, and we found ourselves walking off-trail much of the time, often through very dense vegetation. We’ve also never done so much running while birding, giving new meaning to the expression “chasing a bird”. Catching up with the terrestrial species required just that much of the time, and we often found ourselves sprinting from one location to another as we tried to see a bird that was running rapidly through the understory! Although we brought a spotting scope, we never needed it in the east or at any of the forested sites. It was, however, useful to have at Lakes Ravelobe and Amboromalandy in the west, and our views of Madagascar Sandgrouse and Madagascar Fish Eagle would have been much less satisfactory without it.
Useful Resources:
Others have provided good reviews of the field guides available for Madagascar, and we concurred with the majority opinion that the best descriptions of Malagasy birds can be found in Birds of Madagascar: A Photographic Guide (1998) by Morris & Hawkins. This hardcover book is, however, a bit large to carry in the field, and many of the photos are of not particularly good quality. For an on-the-spot reference, the smaller Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands (2003) by Langrand & Sinclair is more convenient, and, apart from a few obvious errors, the plates are adequate. The Southern African Birdfinder (2007) by Birding Africa’s Callan Cohen et al. has good site descriptions and maps, and is helpful for trip planning and for learning what birds to expect to see where in Madagascar. A recently published CD, Bird Sounds of Madagascar (The British Library, 2010), is available from amazon.com, and includes recordings of a majority of the endemic species. Finally, Nick Garbutt’s (2007) Mammals of Madagascar: A Complete Guide, although also too large to carry in the field, is an excellent resource for identifying the lemurs and other mammals.
Daily Diary
Thursday 15 September:
Our Air Madagascar flight from Paris arrived into Tana mid-morning, and by noon we were relaxing at Hotel Combava, a very nice, new luxury hotel located on the outskirts of Tana and convenient to the airport. Over lunch in the hotel’s open-air restaurant we became acquainted with Madagascar Wagtail, Madagascar (Red) Fody, and a pair of Madagascar Brush Warblers whose squabble brought them out of the shrubbery and into the driveway. In the afternoon a driver from the hotel took us the short distance to Lake Alarobia, a small park located in the heart of Tana. The lake supports a dense population of herons and waterfowl, and many of the more common endemics can also be seen here. After scoping through mobs of Red-billed Teal, White-faced Whistling-Ducks, Great Egrets, Dimorphic Egrets, Black Egrets, Squacco Herons and Black-crowned Night-Herons without finding any rarities, we walked the scrubby perimeter of the lake. By the end of the afternoon we’d added to the list a host of “Mad” birds, namely Madagascar Kingfisher, Madagascar Coucal, Madagascar Hoopoe, Madagascar Swamp Warbler, Madagascar White-eye, Madagascar Bee-eater, Madagascar Kestrel and Madagascar Mannikin. In the evening Rija stopped by the hotel to introduce himself and organize the morning’s departure for Andasibe. He had just come from there, and informed us that the weather had been cold and rainy, and as a result the ground-rollers had not yet started to call. Not very encouraging news with which to start the trip!
Friday 16 September:
We were picked up at 8 a.m. by Rija and Tinah, our driver for the next 12 days, and set off on the 3 hr journey over the mountains to Andasibe. The morning had dawned warm and sunny, and in a stroke of good luck the fine weather held all the way to Andasibe and throughout much of the coming week. A quick stop at the Mangoro River crossing produced our first endemic family in the form of a Chabert Vanga, as well as Crested Drongo and the ubiquitous Souimanga Sunbirds. Unfortunately, we were a bit too early in the season for Madagascar Pratincoles, and a thorough scan of the river rocks came up empty. Upon arrival in Andasibe we dropped our luggage at Grace Lodge, a very pleasant, basic lodge that was to be our home for the next 3 nights, and then proceeded to the Feon’ny Ala Inn for lunch on their balcony overlooking the river. Here we picked up Lesser Vasa Parrot, Madagascar Blue Pigeon, unexpected Madagascar Green Pigeons, and Luc, our local guide in Andasibe-Mantadia. Regulations have recently changed in Madagascar, and the official visitation hours for all national parks are now 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. This early closing time means that nightwalks are no longer possible within the parks, but have to be conducted outside park boundaries. The degree to which the 4 p.m. closing time is enforced varies among parks, but was most strict at Andasibe-Mantadia. Guides risk a serious penalty (several months imprisonment!) if they are not out of the park by 4 p.m. This restriction left us with just two hours of birding time in Andasibe this afternoon, so we focused on finding some easy stake-outs. First up was a roosting pair of Malagasy (Rainforest) Scops-Owls followed by a pair of the exquisitely camouflaged Collared Nightjars. Along the way several Indri, the large black-and-white tail-less lemurs that are the main tourist attraction at Andasibe, put in an appearance. Their haunting song would be a constant soundtrack over the next two days, but this was our only direct encounter with them. We finished up the afternoon tracking down a calling Red-breasted Coua, finally managing very close looks at this bird, often considered to be the most difficult member of the group to see. Exiting the park on the dot of 4 p.m., we then drove to a pine grove where a Madagascar Long-eared Owl often roosts, but the owl wasn’t home today. We finished the day with a nightwalk along trails outside the park, where we found several Goodman’s Mouse Lemurs, an Eastern Woolly Lemur, a charismatic Tuft-tailed Rat, and a sleeping Frances’s Sparrowhawk, as well as a diverse assortment of chameleons and frogs. Madagascar Long-eared Owl and Malagasy Scops-Owl were both calling in the distance, but neither responded to tape.
Saturday 17 September:
Breakfast at 5 a.m. after which we picked up Luc and started the 15 km drive to Mantadia NP, which takes about 1-1/2 hrs if driven non-stop. But of course we didn’t drive non-stop, and as we got close to the area where ground-rollers can be found Luc began playing a tape and listening for responses. Meanwhile, with Rija’s help we began sorting out small, common species in the roadside vegetation, separating Common Jery from Stripe-throated Jery, Common Newtonia from Dark Newtonia, and enjoying superb views of a Madagascar Lesser Cuckoo sitting in the open over the road. Madagascar Buzzard, Henst’s Goshawk, and a pair of Cuckoo-Rollers passed overhead, all of them seen too quickly for complete satisfaction. Luc reappeared from one of his forays breathless and grinning, reporting that he could hear a Short-legged Ground-Roller calling within the forest. He took off down the trail at a run and eventually plunged off-trail, across a stream, and up a steep and densely vegetated slope, with us doing our best to keep up. The bird was calling from high in a very tall tree, and it took some time and careful maneuvering on steep, slippery terrain before we finally were able to see it through a tiny window in the canopy. Not the best view of this difficult species, but we’d take it gladly! While we were still contorting ourselves to watch the Short-legged Ground-Roller, Luc called from down-slope that he now had a Pitta-like Ground-Roller. Butt-sliding down to where he was, we soon had our second ground-roller in the bag, also glimpsed through a small window in dense understory vegetation. Birds now came fast and furious as a mixed flock passed by, and in just a few minutes of frantic birding we tallied Nuthatch Vanga, White-headed Vanga, Blue Vanga, Tylas Vanga, Red-tailed Vanga, Ashy Cuckoo-Shrike, and a brilliant red male Forest Fody! It was now mid-morning, and we moved on to the trail at PK14 to try for Scaly Ground-Roller. Barely inside the forest here we encountered White-throated Oxylabes, a pair of Nelicourvi Weavers building a nest, and a family group of Madagascar Wood-Rails, both parents with three small chicks in tow. Scaly Ground-Rollers can normally be found running around on the forest floor, but because we were a bit late arriving several large, loud groups of lemur-seeking tourists were already on the trail ahead of us. We walked off-trail for most of the morning, but found no sign of ground-rollers. We did, however, catch up with Blue Coua, as well as some of the more skulking forest species such as Long-billed and Spectacled Greenbuls, Wedge-tailed Jery, and the lovely Crossley’s Babbler. We also took two brief breaks from birding to join the hordes viewing a pair of Black-and-White Ruffed Lemurs and a troop of the attractive Diademed Sifakas. After a box lunch eaten back at the car we tried a slightly different route through the forest, but still failed to turn up Scaly Ground-Roller or anything else of note. To make it out of the park by 4 p.m. we had to leave at 3 p.m., but the drive out was punctuated by great looks at a male Velvet Asity along the roadside, Madagascar Spinetails on the horizon, and a stop for Madagascar Rail at a marshy area by the park entrance. Although the rail responded to tape it was reluctant to show itself, and as we stood waiting a sudden cloudburst sent us sprinting to the car for raingear. Back in position, a second heavy shower soaked us thoroughly, but the rail did finally sneak across an open area, giving reasonable views. A final stop at the pine grove confirmed that the owl was still absent, and then it was back to the lodge for an early dinner and bed.
Sunday 18 September:
This morning’s routine was much the same as the previous day, and again we made a number of stops along the road into Mantadia. The first was for a small flock of Madagascar Starlings perched along the roadside. Next we tried again for yesterday’s Madagascar Rail, but got no response. We turned our attention instead to some Madagascar Flufftails that were calling nearby, and managed good looks at a pair of these tiny rails. By the time we reached PK14 a clear sunny morning had clouded over and rain was threatening. While we organized our rain gear Luc ducked into the forest, and before we had managed to get dressed he was calling that he had the Scaly Ground-Roller! So we started another morning with a sprint into the forest, but quickly found the bird and followed along as it hopped through the understory, accompanied by yesterday’s family of Madagascar Wood-Rails. With the day’s main target ticked by 7:30 a.m. we headed to the end of the road to visit the pond by the old graphite mine. A pair of Cuckoo-Rollers were perched low beside the road, and while we photographed them and were then entertained by a raucous group of Blue Couas, a Madagascar Harrier-Hawk (one of only two we would see) landed on a nearby snag. A Rand’s Warbler singing high above the road was another addition to our rapidly growing list. The graphite mine has curtailed its operations in the last couple of years, and with the reduction in traffic several Meller’s Ducks have taken up residence on the pond. Prior to this there had been no reliable place to see this rare species, and we certainly had not anticipated finding it. In addition to three of these ducks, a pair of Madagascar Little Grebes is also resident here, and we enjoyed long looks at both species. It was then back into the forest for the latter half of the morning with only a few target species left. Ward’s Flycatcher came easily, but Red-fronted Coua gave us the runaround and we eventually managed only a few glimpses of the bird as it moved through long grass on the forest floor. A stop for a group of Diademed Sifakas provided a welcome break. With all of our target species accounted for before lunch, we decided to drive back to Andasibe for the afternoon. As we passed the pine grove, Luc checked once more for Madagascar Long-eared Owl, and it was third time lucky: the bird sat on an open branch in full sunlight, perfectly posed for photographs. Now we really had no targets left, having seen all of the species that can only be found at Andasibe-Mantadia. In our last couple of hours in Andasibe we picked up a pair of White-throated Rails, a female Common Sunbird-Asity, Common Brown Lemurs, and several very cute Grey Bamboo Lemurs munching on bamboo shoots beside the trail. Another early evening was spent at the lodge as we packed up to move on in the morning.
Monday 19 September:
We gratefully slept in this morning, breakfast at 7:30 a.m. before we hit the road for a long day of driving. A quick stop was made at the Mangoro River to ascertain that Madagascar Pratincoles had still not arrived, and then it was on into the center of Tana for lunch at the Radama Hotel. Another 4 hrs driving brought us to Antsirabe, Madagascar’s third-largest city, where we spent the night at Residence Camelia, an old colonial villa that has been converted into a pleasant small hotel.
Tuesday 20 September:
Another civilized start to the morning, as we left Antsirabe at 8 a.m. to continue the journey south to Ranomafana. The 7 hr. drive was broken only by occasional stops for photos and to eat our box lunch at a roadside picnic area somewhere south of Ambositra. The central highlands of Madagascar provide ample evidence of the scale of environmental destruction in this poor country, and essentially no forested areas remain. Most of the landscape is given over to the farming of rice and vegetables, and to extensive plantations of eucalyptus that are harvested for charcoal (thus sparing the remaining stands of native trees that additional pressure). The anthropogenically altered landscape is, however, quite scenic, with terraces of bright green rice paddies snaking up dusty red hillsides, little villages of two-story thatched brick houses, colorful, bustling marketplaces, and quaint rural scenes of people out working in the rice fields or carrying their goods to market, either on their heads or by zebu cart. Most of what little traffic there is on the roads consists of trucks and taxi-brousses, the primary mode of long-distance public transportation. The few motorized vehicles share the road with zebu carts, bicycles, human-powered rickshaws, and handcarts (the latter bearing a strong resemblance to soap-box derby entries, especially when piloted downhill by several boys riding atop a load of bricks or charcoal!). And occasionally the road is blocked by large herds of zebu (the indigenous breed of cattle) being driven hundreds of kilometers from the south to market in Tana. We arrived at Ranomafana NP at about 3 p.m., and before entering the park stopped at the Vohiparara Marsh to try for Madagascar Snipe and Grey Emutail. The marsh has been converted almost entirely to rice fields with very little natural vegetation remaining, and no Grey Emutails responded to the tape. Rija sent a small boy out to walk through the marsh in hopes of flushing a snipe, but that too failed to produce results. A final stop along the road to try for Pollen’s Vanga instead resulted in great looks at a Red-fronted Coua, the species we had worked so hard to see so poorly in Mantadia! We then checked into Setam Lodge, a comfortable establishment whose bungalows perch on a steep hillside overlooking the park, and enjoyed a tasty meal at the hotel restaurant before turning in early.
Wednesday 21 September:
We were back to a 5 a.m. breakfast, and at 5:30 a.m. were met by Rija and Stéphane, who would be our local guide at Ranomafana. Stéphane’s nephew, Seraphin, would also assist us as a spotter. The park at Ranomafana is divided into two sections, the higher elevation Vohiparara and low elevation Talatakely; the latter area is frequented by the Bamboo Lemurs and hence by the majority of tourists, while the quieter Vohiparara hosts all of the main target birds with the exception of Brown Mesite. We started the morning at Vohiparara, Rufous-headed Ground-Roller our first quarry. The first bird we tracked down gave us the slip, but a second one soon cooperated, eventually perching up on a low branch where we could get unobstructed views (and even some video!) as he sat calling. We now had four of the five ground-roller species ticked, virtually guaranteeing a clean sweep of this endemic family. Next we headed up the trail towards the ridgetop, along the way picking up Cryptic Warbler, Green Jery, Pollen’s Vanga, Dark Newtonia, and a Brown Emutail mimicking a mouse as it crawled through leaf litter beside the trail. A lone Milne-Edwards Sifaka that appeared to have a broken wrist provided a brief diversion. At the ridgetop we spent some time in an area that is often frequented by Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asity, but found only a female Common Sunbird-Asity. A Henst’s Goshawk that circled low over the canopy here afforded much better views than the bird we had seen at Mantadia. After lunch and a nap back at the lodge we moved to Talatakely for the afternoon, our sights set on Brown Mesite. First we enjoyed some Golden Bamboo Lemurs, the very localized species for which the park was originally established. While Stéphane went ahead listening for mesites we waited, and a movement on the forest floor attracted our attention. It turned out not to be a Brown Mesite, however, but a Pitta-like Ground-Roller who circled around us and finally perched several meters away at eye level while he called in response to Rija’s tape. Now that’s the way to see a ground-roller! Late in the afternoon our guides picked up the trail of the mesites, and as we waited in the understory, they worked to push the birds slowly towards us. Eventually we ended up with two rather agitated Brown Mesites running around calling right at our feet. This strategy of herding the birds seems somewhat unorthodox, but appears to be the most effective way to see these elusive ground-dwelling species. We ended the day with a nightwalk along the road outside the main park entrance. Although there used to be nightwalks to a feeding station for nocturnal mammals within the park, the restricted park hours have eliminated that activity. Now, guides attract Mouse Lemurs to several trees along the road by smearing the trunks with mashed banana, and here we got very close looks at several Brown Mouse Lemurs. Chameleons and frogs were also plentiful along the road (as were other tourists, since this is the only area open for nightwalks).
Thursday 22 September:
Our primary target for today was the Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asity, and we went straight to Vohiparara at 6 a.m. to begin the climb to the ridgetop, interrupted only by a stop for good views of a singing Forest Rock-Thrush. After waiting for several hours on the ridgetop we had seen only a female Common Sunbird-Asity and a pair of nest-building Madagascar Paradise-Flycatchers, so Stéphane decided to try some alternative areas nearby where he had heard the Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asity. We followed him off-trail down a steep slope to better view a pair of Red-bellied Lemurs when a Madagascar Pygmy-Kingfisher suddenly appeared before us, followed almost immediately by the only Hook-billed Vanga of the trip. Late in the morning we finally came across a flowering tree that was being visited by nectar-feeders, and eventually managed to see a female Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asity. A quick break for lunch back at the hotel, and then we returned to the Vohiparara Marsh. Stéphane had confirmed that Grey Emutail no longer seems to be present there, but it didn’t take him and Seraphin long to flush two Madagascar Snipe for good flight views. Now it was back to the forest at Vohiparara to look for some skulkers, Grey-crowned Greenbul and Yellowbrow. A Rufous Vanga was an unexpected bonus at this site, but despite much sprinting back and forth along the trail as first one guide and then another called “Quick, come here!” we were unable to get on a Yellowbrow. At dusk a pair of Grey-crowned Greenbuls finally came in to drink at a small trailside pool, but Cathy’s brief glimpse of a yellow spot in the dark understory was the closest we would get to seeing the Yellowbrow.
Friday 23 September:
We had only a few pieces of unfinished business to take care of today, but careful planning and adherence to a strict schedule were necessary if we were to hit all four of our remaining targets. The first was, of course, to see the male Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asity (or a male Common Sunbird-Asity, for that matter!), so at dawn we were marching back to the flowering tree we had found yesterday at Vohiparara. Unfortunately, it was a very foggy morning, and when we finally reached the tree it was nearly impossible to see the flowers! The female Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asity was again present, but a long, damp vigil didn’t reveal a male. Further up the ridge Stéphane had heard and seen the male and had found a place where he thought the birds were nesting, so we moved there. We now spent a frustrating hour during which we would wait while Stéphane located the male, after which we would crash through the wet vegetation in response to his frantic calls of “Quick, come here, it’s here”, and inevitably the bird would have disappeared by the time we reached the place where he had just seen it. Although Cathy did eventually get a very brief glimpse of the male, we finally gave up to return to Talatakely for target number two, the Greater Bamboo Lemur. While we had been at Vohiparara, Seraphin had been scouting for lemurs, and had located not only the Greater Bamboo Lemurs, but also a sleeping pair of Eastern Woolly Lemurs. We now hiked to where he was and found both species. Currently, only two individuals of the Greater Bamboo Lemur remain in the area of the park open to visitors and they range over a large home territory, so we were very lucky to locate them. We also encountered a group of Red-fronted Brown Lemurs as we hiked back out. A quick lunch at the hotel, then it was off to target number three, an alternative site for Grey Emutail. As we approached the site we could already hear emutails singing, and it did not take much to persuade two different birds to pop up into bushes where we could see them. Our last target was the Yellowbrow, so we again ended the day back at Vohiparara. On our way into the forest we got great looks at yet another Red-fronted Coua sitting up in a small tree and a Rufous-headed Ground-Roller foraging in the leaf litter on the edge of the trail. Stéphane was sure the Yellowbrow would come at dusk to drink and bathe at a small pool, and we followed him through dense vegetation to a vantage point. Meanwhile, Rija would stand watch at the pool where we had seen yesterday’s Grey-crowned Greenbuls, and if the Yellowbrow turned up there he would yell and we would run. This seemed like a dubious plan, as it had taken us a good 5 minutes to crawl through thickets to where we were and we were unlikely to get back out any faster! In the end we needn’t have worried, as no Yellowbrow appeared at either pool. This was, however, the only one of the eastern forest endemics that we missed, leaving us extremely pleased with the results of our first week in Madagascar, and looking forward to easier birding in the dry forests of the west!
Saturday 24 September:
Another civilized, late breakfast to prepare us for another long day of driving. Before leaving, however, we spent a few minutes at the flowering trees by park headquarters, one final chance for a male Common Sunbird-Asity. Females were of course no problem, but we bade farewell to the eastern forests having dipped on the males of both Sunbird-Asity species. A few hours driving with a quick stop at the ATM in Fianarantsoa brought us to the Anja Lemur Reserve in the late morning. Here we spent an hour viewing the resident Ring-tailed Lemurs at close range, and ate our box lunch before driving on to Isalo NP. A Peregrine Falcon carrying a chicken in its talons precipitated a quick stop near Ihosy, but several additional stops to scan the high plateau for Reunion Harrier, once found reliably in this area, yielded nothing but the usual Yellow-billed Kites and Pied Crows. We arrived at the extremely posh Relais de la Reine Hotel, set against a spectacular rock outcrop in Isalo NP, at about 4:30 p.m. When the hotel staff couldn’t organize themselves to check us in quickly we left our bags at reception and birded the surrounding area, almost immediately spotting a Benson’s Rock-Thrush sitting atop one of the bungalows. Madagascar Partridge took a bit more work, but we eventually found two in a dry marsh close to the entrance road. Namaqua Dove and Grey-headed Lovebird were also new for the tour, and a sign that we were now entering the dry forests of the west. After an extremely nice dinner in the hotel’s French restaurant we adjourned to the gardens with a tape and a torch, and set about finding owls. First up was White-browed Owl, one individual coming in close in response to the tape while a second called nearby. Torotoroka Scops-Owl took a bit more persuasion – the first individual to respond refused to show itself, but a second individual eventually consented to sit right over our heads.
Sunday 25 September:
Our destination this morning was Zombitse NP, about an hour’s drive from Isalo. Mid-morning is apparently the best time to see Giant Coua there, so we had a leisurely 7 a.m. breakfast and arrived at Zombitse at around 9 a.m. While Rija organized our tickets we picked up a few new species in the parking lot in the form of Crested Coua and Greater Vasa Parrot, and were entertained by a shrub covered with Flatid Leaf Bug nymphs looking like animated bits of lichen. We set off on a circuit of the park, immediately encountering several sleepy Hubbard’s Sportive Lemurs, Coquerel’s Coua, and three Madagascar Button-Quail scurrying through the leaf litter. We could hear Giant Couas calling, but the only one we encountered flushed out of a tree right above our heads before we realized it was there, leaving us with a view of a large brown tail receding into the distance. After two hours this was the closest we had gotten to any of our target species, and frustration was building (this was supposed to be an easy, quick stop!). Finally we encountered a mixed flock of Long-billed and Appert’s Greenbuls, but Giant Coua continued to elude us. We decided to move to the other side of the park, across the main road, and as we walked down the drive a Giant Coua appeared on the roadside and strolled across in front of us. Whew! The only target left was Verreaux’s Sifaka, and another group gave us directions to where they had recently seen them. The sifakas had apparently moved on, however, but we did find several very large Oustalet’s Chameleons, and our guide showed us a roosting Torotoroka Scops-Owl. After a box lunch, Rija suggested that we drive the main road through the park one last time to scan for sifakas in the trees along the road. An excellent suggestion, as we found not only several Verreaux’s Sifakas, but also Red-fronted Brown Lemurs, and a perched Madagascar Cuckoo-Hawk, the only one we would see. We spent the afternoon driving to Toliara, and reached the final 30 km stretch of very bad road to Ifaty late in the day. Although we passed several small ponds that held assorted shorebirds (Kittlitz’s, White-fronted and Common Ringed Plovers, Black-winged Stilt, Common Sandpiper) we pressed on without stopping, hoping to make it to the site for Madagascar Plover before sunset. This we did, and fortunately it only took about 30 seconds to find a pair of these beautiful little birds. We settled into our beachfront bungalow at the Ikotel Hotel at dusk, our first Madagascar Nightjar flying over the carpark as we arrived. Ikotel is located at the northernmost end of the beach north of Mangily, very close to the spiny forest we would bird tomorrow. Although the rooms are quite basic, the food here was excellent (delicious shrimp in ginger sauce!), and the location very quiet and peaceful.
Monday 26 September:
At first light we drove the short distance to the patch of spiny forest owned by the legendary Mosa, and picked up two of his sons, who would be our local guides. They immediately set off to look for Long-tailed Ground-Roller while Rija used the tape to troll for other spiny forest specialties. First in was a singing Thamnornis Warbler, soon followed by Sickle-billed Vanga and the southwestern race of Chabert Vanga. One of our guides returned and unexpectedly climbed a tree, poked a stick into a hole in a large branch, and, to our surprise, out the other end of the branch popped an indignant looking Sportive Lemur! Eventually a Long-tailed Ground-Roller was located and herded in our direction. The bird stopped in the open only a few meters from where we stood and stayed there motionless for nearly 10 minutes, apparently unconcerned by our presence and the clicking of camera shutters. Eventually it wandered off slowly, and we turned our attention to a nearby Archbold’s Newtonia, Subdesert Brush Warbler, and colorful Sakalava Weavers. Our interest in Madagascar Fodies was also renewed by the presence of bright red males, as none of the birds we had seen in the east had yet been in breeding plumage. Soon came the cry that a Subdesert Mesite had been located, and we were led to where an uncomfortable-looking bird sat motionless in a large shrub. A Running Coua, likewise flushed into a tree by the guides, was the next attraction. By this time it was approaching 9 a.m. and getting quite warm, so we returned to the hotel for breakfast, running across another nonchalant pair of Long-tailed Ground-Rollers on our way out of the forest. Cathy had arranged to go snorkeling on a nearby reef, and was ferried there in a pirogue, the outrigger sailing canoes used by the local fishermen. By paddle and sail power the trip out to the reef took about an hour; the return trip was slightly faster as the wind had picked up, but a low tide necessitated wading the final 200 m back to the shore. In the late afternoon we returned to the spiny forest for the last few target species. Green-capped Coua and LaFresnaye’s Vanga came quickly, along with another treed Subdesert Mesite. Banded Kestrel presented a greater challenge, however, and the guides had spent most of the afternoon searching nearby areas favored by these birds. Finally we received a call that one had been found in an adjacent area of cleared forest, and once more we were running full-tilt to get to a bird, finally catching up to it as it perched atop one of the few trees remaining. No areas of spiny forest are yet protected by the Malagasy government, and patches like that owned by Mosa are increasingly isolated by destruction of the surrounding habitat.
Tuesday 27 September:
With all spiny forest specialties accounted for, we decided to move on early in the a.m. in order to get to the coral rag scrub near La Table, south of Toliara, before the afternoon winds picked up. The hotel was willing to feed us breakfast at 4:30 a.m., and we picked up one of Mosa’s sons at 5 a.m. for the 2-hr. drive back to Toliara. We first made a quick stop at the watering holes near La Mangrove Hotel to try for Madagascar Sandgrouse, and saw three birds fly out just as we arrived. We then continued on to the site south of La Table for Red-shouldered Vanga, and it didn't take long for an individual to appear in response to the guide’s whistled imitation. A pair of Running Couas was next, followed by Verreaux’s Coua, and we were back in Toliara and checked into the El Caliente Beach Hotel well before lunchtime. While we relaxed by the pool, Rija went in to Toliara to confirm our upcoming travel arrangements and returned with two pieces of bad news. The first was that the fast boat we had booked for tomorrow’s trip to Anakao and Nosy Ve was out of commission. He had found another boat operator who was willing to take us if his boat was available, but that was not certain – we would just have to go to the harbor in the morning and hope for the best. The second bit of bad news was more serious. Air Madagascar had canceled our flight to Paris and rescheduled us on a flight that would leave 1-1/2 days later, ensuring that we would miss our onward connections and hotel reservations, as well as a day of work. Somewhat distracted by thoughts of these complications, we drove the short distance back to La Mangrove at 4 p.m. to try again for Madagascar Sandgrouse, and did not have long to wait before one bird flew in and landed at a waterhole. Unfortunately, this bird was flushed by a passerby before we could get close, but another two arrived a few minutes later and afforded good but somewhat distant views. After having seen them scatter from the roadsides for several days, we also finally got close looks here at Madagascar Lark. Back at the hotel we ate dinner accompanied by the bouncing-ping-pong-ball calls of a Madagascar Nightjar perched atop the restaurant roof.
Wednesday 28 September:
We drove to Toliara harbor at 7:30 a.m. and were relieved to find a fast boat waiting for us. We were ferried out to the anchorage in a zebu cart, and then had a smooth hour-long journey to the village of Anakao. Here we went ashore for about 20 minutes, locating a Littoral Rock-Thrush almost immediately in the grounds of the Anakao Princess Resort. Another 10 minutes took us across the channel to Nosy Ve, a small island where Red-tailed Tropicbirds nest. After viewing numerous adults and chicks on their nests, we walked the perimeter of the island, picking up a pair of Crab Plovers, Grey Plover, and both Caspian and Greater Crested Terns. A leisurely lunch back at the hotel was followed by a trip to the Toliara airport where we said goodbye to Tinah and flew back to Tana, arriving at Hotel Combava in time for a late dinner and a short night’s sleep.
Thursday 29 September:
We were back in the Tana airport shortly after 5 a.m. for a 6:30 a.m. flight to Mahajanga, where we were met by a new driver who delivered us immediately to the waterfront for a boat trip into the Betsiboka River delta. There we spent an hour or two cruising along the muddy shores of several islands as the tide fell, eventually managing to see about six Madagascar Sacred Ibis and 20 Bernier’s Teal as they foraged at the water’s edge. Other birds included several Humblot’s Herons in flight, Curlew Sandpipers, Whimbrels and Greenshanks, and a few Lesser Crested Terns. We returned for lunch at a beachfront restaurant, and then drove 3 hrs east to Ampijoroa (Ankarafantsika NP). Before reaching the park headquarters, we stopped to scope the shore of Lake Ravelobe, finding a Madagascar Pond-Heron in non-breeding plumage, several Allen’s Gallinules skulking in the water hyacinth, and a very distant Madagascar Fish-Eagle. Accommodations at Ampijoroa are very limited, with only 6 small bungalows and an equal number of dormitory rooms available for visitors. Unfortunately for independent travelers, tour companies reserve these rooms far in advance, and Rija had warned us that Birding Africa had been unable to secure a room for us – we would have to stay in a tent. Picturing a large canvas safari tent, this did not concern us overly. Upon our arrival at Ampijoroa, however, our local guide, Guy, showed us to the tent that had been prepared for us, and we discovered that it was a very small, nylon backpacking tent that would barely fit two people, and certainly wouldn’t accommodate any of our luggage! Guy went off to negotiate for a second tent, and returned with the welcome news that a British tour group wasn’t using one of the rooms allotted them in the dormitory and we could have that for two nights. A very basic room with shared bathroom facilities has never seemed like such a luxury! We settled in then went on a nightwalk along the road, seeing Grey Mouse Lemurs, a Milne-Edwards’ Sportive Lemur, and the usual assortment of chameleons. After the long day, we were hardly able to keep our eyes open through dinner, and fell gratefully into bed immediately afterwards.
Friday 30 September:
Early breakfast was not an option here, so we tightened our belts and headed for the forest on the north side of Lake Ravelobe at 6 a.m. with empty stomachs and no caffeine to carry us through. As we left the van, we spied a large raptor perched in a distant tree. In the early morning light it was just a silhouette, but the size, shape and flight profile when it eventually flew confirmed Madagascar Sparrowhawk, a species that has become difficult to find. A short distance into the forest we came to a very tall fruiting tree that was teeming with Madagascar Bulbuls, Madagascar Green Pigeons and Greater Vasa Parrots. A Schlegel’s Asity could be heard in the area, and eventually it too joined the feeding flock – the iridescent blue and green eye wattles of a male could be seen clearly from where we stood far below. Next we stalked a White-breasted Mesite that was calling quite close, but the bird slipped away unseen. We were fading fast as the day heated up, so retreated to headquarters for a late breakfast. Then it was back into the forest on that side for a productive hour or so during which we managed good looks at pairs of Red-capped Coua and Van Dam’s Vanga. We were free by 10:30 a.m., and discovered that the restaurant veranda, positioned at mid-canopy height, offered a perfect vantage point for photography. In the course of the morning, common species such as Crested Drongo, Madagascar Paradise-Flycatcher, and Madagascar Magpie-Robin were joined here by Crested Coua, Blue Vanga, and Ashy Cuckoo-Shrike, all of them at eye level and only an arm’s length away. At 3 p.m. we went for a boat trip on Lake Ravelobe, getting closer looks at Madagascar Fish-Eagle, Humblot’s Heron, and a pair of Madagascar Jacanas. Afterwards we convinced Guy to take us back into the forest for another hour of birding, and spent much of that time watching a Madagascar Button-Quail scratching about in the leaf litter, all the while turning in tight circles like a plump, terrestrial phalarope. We returned to headquarters to find a pair of Mongoose Lemurs by the restaurant, with groups of Common Brown Lemurs and Coquerel’s Sifakas nearby in the mango trees.
Saturday 01 October:
Our target for the day was White-breasted Mesite, and we started the morning back on the north side of Lake Ravelobe where we had heard the bird yesterday. Today it took some time before a distant response to tape was picked up, but Guy quickly located a pair and attempted to herd them towards us. The birds didn’t cooperate, however, heading off in every direction but that intended, and as a result we were once more sprinting through the forest in response to cries of “Quick, they’re here” and “No, no, back that way.” We finally caught up to them as they ran down the path in front of us, getting reasonable views of their backsides. With all of the Ampijoroa target birds (and all possible members of all endemic families!) now accounted for, we adjourned for breakfast, and then spent the rest of the morning photographing birds from one of the observation platforms overlooking Lake Ravelobe. In mid-afternoon we headed back into the forest on the station side to try for a better look at White-breasted Mesite. This time a pair responded to tape and slowly came to us, eventually passing by right at our feet. Of the Madagascar endemics that are possible to see on a typical birding itinerary such as ours, the only one we had not yet found was Madagascar Crested Ibis, a species that is very difficult to find unless a nest site is known. Guy had gotten special permission for us to stay late in the forest today to search for ibis coming to roost. We waited near a previous year’s nest site until dusk but, sadly, without result, although a pair of Western Woolly Lemurs brought the total number of lemur species seen to 22. Walking back in the dark gave us very close looks at several Grey Mouse Lemurs and a calling Torotoroka Scops-Owl. Guy had managed to secure permission for us to stay in the dormitory for one final night, and once again we were extremely grateful for that small luxury!
Sunday 02 October:
Another hour of photography around the campsite before breakfast, then it was into the van for the trip back to Mahajanga. En route we stopped at Lake Amboromalandy, where we added three final species to the list: the exquisite African Pygmy Goose, dapper Hottentot Teal, and Whiskered Tern, none of them endemics but the first two life birds that we had missed on previous trips to Africa. We also found another Madagascar Jacana at this site. We arrived in Mahajanga in time for a leisurely lunch at a local hotel, and then it was on to the airport for the flight back to Tana. Rija would return by car the next day, so we bade farewell to him here. Birding Africa had managed to solve the problem of our canceled Air Madagascar flight by securing seats for us on an Air France flight leaving Tana for Paris tonight. We checked into Hotel Combava, but rather than spend the night as originally planned we simply took a nap and a shower and ate a final pleasant meal before heading back to the airport at 9 p.m. By 1:30 a.m. we were on our way home, arriving in Paris hours ahead of our original schedule and in plenty of time to make all of our onward connections.
We finished the trip having seen about 165 species total, 121 of them Malagasy endemics. Of those endemic species that would have been possible to see on our itinerary, the only ones we missed were Yellowbrow, Madagascar Crested Ibis, and the very scarce Reunion Harrier. It would also have been nice to see males of the two Sunbird-Asity species! Birds that were common in all of the forested areas we visited were Crested Drongo, Madagascar Coucal, Madagascar Paradise-Flycatcher, Madagascar Magpie-Robin, Madagascar Bulbul, Common Jery, Common Newtonia and Souimanga Sunbird. Madagascar White-Eye, Madagascar Wagtail and Madagascar Brush Warbler were also common in the east (the latter much more often heard than seen) but we did not see them in the west. Madagascar Bee-eater, Madagascar Cisticola, Madagascar Fody, Mascarene Martin and Madagascar Kestrel were seen often in non-forested areas, along with non-endemic species such as Yellow-billed Kite, Pied Crow, and, in the east only, Common Stonechat. Many of the other endemics, including most representatives of the endemic families, were only seen once or a few times and only at one specific location.
Complete trip list (bold = Malagasy endemic)
(common names used are those found in Langrand & Sinclair 2003; note that some have recently been changed to reflect higher-level taxonomic changes, e.g. Greenbul to Tetraka)
White-faced Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna viduata): common at L. Alarobia, L. Ravelobe
Knob-billed Duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos): 3-4 seen at L. Alarobia and L. Ravelobe
African Pygmy-Goose (Nettapus auritus): 6-8, L. Amboromalandy
Meller's Duck (Anas melleri): 3, Mantadia
Red-billed Teal (Anas erythrorhyncha): common at L. Alarobia and L. Ravelobe
Hottentot Teal (Anas hottentota): 4, L. Amboromalandy
Bernier's Teal (Anas bernieri): 20, Betsiboka Delta
Madagascar Partridge (Margaroperdix madagascarensis): 2, Ranomafana; 2, Isalo
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis): 20+, Ifaty; 2, L. Amboromalandy
Madagascar Little Grebe (Tachybaptus pelzelnii): 2, Mantadia
Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda): many nesting on Nosy Ve
African Darter (Anhinga rufa): 1, L. Ravelobe
Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta): seen occasionally in rice fields in the east
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea): 2, L. Amboromalandy
Humblot's Heron (Ardea humbloti): 3, Betsiboka Delta; 1, L. Ravelobe
Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea): 6+, L. Ravelobe; also occasionally seen in rice fields
Great Egret (Ardea alba): often seen in rice fields
Dimorphic Egret (Egretta dimorpha): common in rice fields throughout the country
Black Egret (Egretta ardesiaca): common, L. Alarobia, L. Ravelobe and in rice fields
Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis): common in cultivated areas
Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides): common at L. Alarobia and L. Ravelobe
Malagasy Pond-Heron (Ardeola idea): 3-4, L. Ravelobe
Striated Heron (Butorides striata): seen occasionally in rice fields and at L. Ravelobe
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax): common, L. Alarobia; 1, L. Ravelobe
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus): 25+, Lake Ravelobe
Madagascar Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis bernieri): 5-6, Betsiboka Delta
Madagascar Cuckoo-Hawk (Aviceda madagascariensis): 1, Zombitse
Yellow-billed Kite (Milvus aegyptius): common in open areas and along roads
Madagascar Fish-Eagle (Haliaeetus vociferoides): 2, L. Ravelobe
Madagascar Harrier-Hawk (Polyboroides radiatus): 1, Mantadia; 1, Betsiboka Delta
Frances's Sparrowhawk (Accipiter francesii): 2, Andasibe; 2, Ampijoroa
Madagascar Sparrowhawk (Accipiter madagascariensis): 1, Ampijoroa
Henst's Goshawk (Accipiter henstii): 1, Mantadia; 1, Ranomafana
Madagascar Buzzard (Buteo brachypterus): 1-2 daily at Mantadia and Ranomafana
Madagascar Kestrel (Falco newtoni): common along roads, a few seen most days
Banded Kestrel (Falco zoniventris): 1, Ifaty
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus): 1, near Ihosy
White-breasted Mesite (Mesitornis variegates): 4, Ampijoroa
Brown Mesite (Mesitornis unicolor): 2, Ranomafana
Subdesert Mesite (Monias benschi): 2, Ifaty
Madagascar Flufftail (Sarothrura insularis): 2, Mantadia
Madagascar Wood-Rail (Canirallus kioloides): 5, Mantadia (2 adults with chicks)
Madagascar Rail (Rallus madagascariensis): 1, Mantadia
White-throated Rail (Dryolimnas cuvieri): 2, Andasibe
Allen's Gallinule (Porphyrio alleni): 4, L. Ravelobe
Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus): 2, L. Alarobia; 4, L. Ravelobe
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola): 1, Nosy Ve
Kittlitz's Plover (Charadrius pecuarius): 3-4, Ifaty
Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula): 2, Ifaty
Madagascar Plover (Charadrius thoracicus): 2, Ifaty
Three-banded Plover (Charadrius tricollaris): 2, Vohiparara; 1, L. Ravelobe
White-fronted Plover (Charadrius marginatus): 1, Ifaty; 3, Nosy Ve
Crab Plover (Dromas ardeola): 2, Nosy Ve
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus): 5, Ifaty; 2, L. Ravelobe
Madagascar Jacana (Actophilornis albinucha): 2, L. Ravelobe; 1, L. Amboromalandy
Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos): 1, Mangoro R.; 1, Ifaty; 3, Betsiboka Delta
Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia): 1, Toliara; 1, Betsiboka Delta
Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus): 5, Toliara; 8, Betsiboka Delta
Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea): 8, Betsiboka Delta
Madagascar Snipe (Gallinago macrodactyla): 2, Vohiparara
Madagascar Buttonquail (Turnix nigricollis): 3, Zombitse; 1, Ampijoroa
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia): 1, Nosy Ve
Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida): 10, L. Amboromalandy
Greater Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii): 1, Nosy Ve
Lesser Crested Tern (Thalasseus bengalensis): 3, Betsiboka Delta
Madagascar Sandgrouse (Pterocles personatus): 3, Toliara
Madagascar Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia picturata): 1, Andasibe; 2-5 daily in west
Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis): common in southwest
Madagascar Green-Pigeon (Treron australis): 3, Andasibe; 1, Zombitse; 3+, Ampijoroa
Madagascar Blue-Pigeon (Alectroenas madagascariensis): 6, Mantadia; 2, Ranomafana
Rock Pigeon (Columba livia): common in villages
Grey-headed Lovebird (Agapornis canus): 2, Isalo; large flocks at Ifaty, Ampijoroa
Greater Vasa Parrot (Coracopsis vasa): 1, Zombitse; 4, Ifaty; 2, Ampijoroa
Lesser Vasa Parrot (Coracopsis nigra): 2-5 daily at Andasibe, Mantadia, Ampijoroa
Madagascar Lesser Cuckoo (Cuculus rochii): 1, Mantadia; 1, Ampijoroa
Giant Coua (Coua gigas): 1, Zombitse
Coquerel's Coua (Coua coquereli): 2, Zombitse; 2, Ampijoroa
Red-breasted Coua (Coua serriana): 1, Andasibe
Red-fronted Coua (Coua reynaudii): 1, Mantadia; 2, Ranomafana
Red-capped Coua (Coua ruficeps): 2, Ampijoroa
Green-capped Coua (Coua ruficeps olivaceiceps): 2, Ifaty
Running Coua (Coua cursor): 1, Ifaty; 2, La Table
Crested Coua (Coua cristata): 1, Zombitse; 1, Ifaty; 2, Ampijoroa
Verreaux's Coua (Coua verreauxi): 2, La Table
Blue Coua (Coua caerulea): 3-4 daily, Mantadia and Ranomafana
Madagascar Coucal (Centropus toulou): 1-3 seen or heard daily
Malagasy (Rainforest) Scops-Owl (Otus rutilus): 2, Andasibe
Torotoroka Scops-Owl (Otus madagascariensis): 1, Isalo; 1, Zombitse; 1, Ampijoroa
Madagascar Long-eared Owl (Asio madagascariensis): 1, Andasibe
White-browed Owl (Ninox superciliaris): 1, Isalo
Madagascar Nightjar (Caprimulgus madagascariensis): 2, Ifaty; 1, Toliara
Collared Nightjar (Caprimulgus enarratus): 2, Andasibe
Madagascar Spinetail (Zoonavena grandidieri): 10, Mantadia
Madagascar Black Swift (Apus balstoni): 1-3 daily, Ranomafana; also along roads
African Palm-Swift (Cypsiurus parvus): occasionally seen along roads
Madagascar Kingfisher (Corythornis vintsioides): 2, Lake Alarobia; 2, Ampijoroa
Madagascar Pygmy-Kingfisher (Corythornis madagascariensis): 1, Ranomafana; 1, Ampijoroa
Madagascar Bee-eater (Merops superciliosus): a few seen on most days except at Andasibe
Short-legged Ground-Roller (Brachypteracias leptosomus): 1, Mantadia
Scaly Ground-Roller (Brachypteracias squamiger): 1, Mantadia
Pitta-like Ground-Roller (Atelornis pittoides): 1, Mantadia; 3, Ranomafana
Rufous-headed Ground-Roller (Atelornis crossleyi): 2, Ranomafana
Long-tailed Ground-Roller (Uratelornis chimaera): 3, Ifaty
Cuckoo-Roller (Leptosomus discolor): 1-2 seen or heard most days except in southwest
Madagascar Hoopoe (Upupa marginata): 2, L. Alarobia; 2, Ifaty; 2, Anakao; 3, Ampijoroa
Velvet Asity (Philepitta castanea): 2, Mantadia; 3, Ranomafana
Schlegel's Asity (Philepitta schlegeli): 1, Ampijoroa
Common Sunbird-Asity (Neodrepanis coruscans): 1, Andasibe; 3, Ranomafana (females)
Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asity (Neodrepanis hypoxantha): 1, Ranomafana (female)
Tylas Vanga (Tylas eduardi): 2, Mantadia
Dark Newtonia (Newtonia amphichroa): 1, Mantadia; 1, Ranomafana
Common Newtonia (Newtonia brunneicauda): 1-3 daily in eastern forests and Ampijoroa
Archbold's Newtonia (Newtonia archboldi): 1, Ifaty
Chabert Vanga (Leptopterus chabert): 2, Mangoro R.; 2, Andasibe; 10, Ifaty; 3, Ampijoroa
Blue Vanga (Cyanolanius madagascarinus): 1, Mantadia; 2, Ampijoroa
Red-tailed Vanga (Calicalicus madagascariensis): 5, Mantadia; 1, Ranomafana; 1, Ifaty
Red-shouldered Vanga (Calicalicus rufocarpalis): 1, La Table
Nuthatch-Vanga (Hypositta corallirostris): 4, Mantadia
Hook-billed Vanga (Vanga curvirostris): 1, Ranomafana
Rufous Vanga (Schetba rufa): 1, Ranomafana; 6+, Ampijoroa
Sickle-billed Vanga (Falculea palliata): 3, Ifaty; 2, Ampijoroa
White-headed Vanga (Artamella viridis): 5, Mantadia; 1, Ranomafana; 1, Ifaty; 2, Ampijoroa
Lafresnaye's Vanga (Xenopirostris xenopirostris): 1, Ifaty
Van Dam's Vanga (Xenopirostris damii): 2, Ampijoroa
Pollen's Vanga (Xenopirostris polleni): 1, Ranomafana
Ward's Flycatcher (Pseudobias wardi): 1, Mantadia
Crossley's Babbler (Mystacornis crossleyi): 1, Mantadia
Ashy Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina cinerea): 1, Mantadia; 1, Ranomafana; 2, Ampijoroa
Crested Drongo (Dicrurus forficatus): 1-5 seen daily
Madagascar Paradise-Flycatcher (Terpsiphone mutata): 2-4 daily in eastern forests, Ampijoroa
Pied Crow (Corvus albus): common along roads south of Antsirabe and in west
Madagascar Lark (Mirafra hova): 5, Toliara; along roadsides in southwest
Mascarene Martin (Phedina borbonica): 2-6 seen daily
Madagascar Bulbul (Hypsipetes madagascariensis): common in all forested areas
Madagascar Brush-Warbler (Nesillas typical): seen and heard daily in east
Subdesert Brush-Warbler (Nesillas lantzii): 2, Ifaty; 3, Toliara
Madagascar Swamp-Warbler (Acrocephalus newtoni): 3, L. Alarobia; 2, Mantadia; 1, Vohiparara
Brown Emu-tail (Dromaeocercus brunneus): 2, Ranomafana
Grey Emu-tail (Dromaeocercus seebohmi): 2, Vohiparara
White-throated Oxylabes (Oxylabes madagascariensis): 2, Mantadia; 1, Ranomafana
Long-billed Greenbul (Bernieria madagascariensis): 2-4 daily except in southwest
Cryptic Warbler (Cryptosylvicola randrianasoloi): 2, Ranomafana
Wedge-tailed Jery (Hartertula flavoviridis): 2, Mantadia; 1, Ranomafana
Thamnornis Warbler (Thamnornis chloropetoides): 2, Ifaty
Spectacled Greenbul (Xanthomixis zosterops): 2, Mantadia; 3, Ranomafana
Appert's Greenbul (Xanthomixis apperti): 2, Zombitse
Grey-crowned Greenbul (Xanthomixis cinereiceps): 2, Ranomafana
Rand's Warbler (Randia pseudozosterops): 1, Mantadia; 1, Ranomafana
Common Jery (Neomixis tenella): 1-6 daily in all forested areas
Green Jery (Neomixis viridis): 2, Ranomafana
Stripe-throated Jery (Neomixis striatigula): 3+, Mantadia; 1, Ifaty
Madagascar Cisticola (Cisticola cherina): 1-5 daily at Tana, Vohiparara, Isalo, Toliara
Madagascar Magpie-Robin (Copsychus albospecularis): 1-4 daily in all forested areas
Common Stonechat (Saxicola torquatus): 1-3 daily in east
Forest Rock-Thrush (Monticola sharpie): 3, Ranomafana
Benson's Rock-Thrush (Monticola sharpie bensoni): 2, Isalo
Littoral Rock-Thrush (Monticola imerina): 2, Anakao
Madagascar White-eye (Zosterops maderaspatanus): 1-6 daily in east
Madagascar Starling (Saroglossa aurata): 6, Mantadia
Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis): common in towns and open areas
Souimanga Sunbird (Cinnyris souimanga): common everywhere, seen daily
Madagascar Green Sunbird (Cinnyris notatus): 1, Mantadia; 3, Andasibe; 1, Ampijoroa
Madagascar Wagtail (Motacilla flaviventris): 2-4 daily at Andasibe, Ranomafana
Nelicourvi Weaver (Ploceus nelicourvi): 5+, Mantadia; 1, Andasibe
Sakalava Weaver (Ploceus sakalava): 10+ Ifaty; 8, Toliara; 5, Ampijoroa
Madagascar (Red) Fody (Foudia madagascariensis): seen daily at Andasibe, Ifaty, Toliara
Forest Fody (Foudia omissa): 5, Mantadia; 1, Ranomafana
Madagascar Mannikin (Lonchura nana): 2, Lake Alarobia; 10+, Mantadia; 2, L. Amboromalandy
Mammals
Grey Mouse Lemur (Microcebus murinus): 5, Ampijoroa
Brown Mouse Lemur (Microcebus rufus): 3, Ranomafana
Goodman’s Mouse Lemur (Microcebus lehilahytsara): 2, Andasibe
Milne-Edwards’ Sportive Lemur (Lepilemur edwardsi): 2, Ampijoroa
Hubbard’s Sportive Lemur (Lepilemur hubbardorum): 3, Zombitse
Sportive Lemur (Lepilemur sp.): 1, Ifaty (this species is still undescribed)
Grey Bamboo Lemur (Hapalemur griseus griseus): 3, Andasibe
Golden Bamboo Lemur (Hapalemur aureus): 5, Ranomafana
Greater Bamboo Lemur (Prolemur simus): 2, Ranomafana
Ring-tailed Lemur (Lemur catta): 10+, Anja
Southern Black-and-White Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata editorum): 2, Mantadia
Mongoose Lemur (Eulemur mongoz): 3, Ampijoroa
Red-bellied Lemur (Eulemur rubriventer): 6, Ranomafana
Common Brown Lemur (Eulemur fulvus): 6, Andasibe; 7, Ampijoroa
Red-fronted Brown Lemur (Eulemur rufifrons): 6, Ranomafana; 2, Zombitse
Eastern Woolly Lemur (Avahi laniger): 1, Andasibe; 2, Ranomafana
Western Woolly Lemur (Avahi occidentalis): 2, Ampijoroa
Diademed Sifaka (Propithecus diadema): 8, Mantadia
Milne-Edwards’ Sifaka (Propithecus edwardsi): 5, Ranomafana
Verreaux’s Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi): 3, Zombitse
Coquerel’s Sifaka (Propithecus coquereli): 8+, Ampijoroa
Indri (Indri indri): 3, Andasibe
Lowland Red Forest Rat (Nesomys audeberti): 2, Ranomafana
Tuft-tailed Rat (Eliurus sp.): 1, Andasibe