Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of many guidebooks to African destinations, including the Insight guide to Madagascar.
Madagascar is a great birding destination. More than 300 species have been recorded here, of which over 100 species only occur in Madagascar. This gives it the highest proportion of endemic birds of any country. Of particular interest are the four families found nowhere else in the world. These are the mesites, asities, bernierids and ground rollers. A further two families, the cuckoo rollers and vangas, are near-endemic (they are also found in the Comoros islands and Seychelles). Birds in Madagascar tend to be noticeably less noisy than on mainland Africa, although they are more vocal during the Wet season from November to April.
Notable Birds in Madagascar
Locally common
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Birding Specials –Treats for Avid Birders
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Best Time for Bird Watching
Bird watching in Madagascar is great throughout the year as most interesting species are present year-round. However, the best time is during the Wet season (November to April) when birds are most vocal and therefore easier to spot. In many parks, the months from September to December (and also April in places) can be best, as they avoid the worst of the rains. Many birds nest during the rainy months and some birds, such as the sought-after helmet vanga, are most easily found by their nests. Some migrating birds breed on the island in the Wet season and go to the mainland for the Dry season (May to October).
Best Parks for Birding –Includes Birding Rating
Most parks in Madagascar offer good bird watching. It is almost impossible to include all the good birding parks in one trip. However, to tick off a good range of species, it pays to visit both the rainforest and the dry spiny forest zones. The wet rainforest habitat of northern and eastern Madagascar is particularly rich in species. Andasibe-Mantadia National Park is very accessible and highly rewarding. Less accessible, but worth the effort, is Masoala National Park, which is the best place to see Madagascar’s top bird, the helmet vanga. Dry-country specials can be found in places such as Berenty Private Reserve, Isalo National Park and little known Zombitse-Vohibasia National Park.
- Ankarafantsika NP 4.0/5 3 Birding Ratings
- Andasibe-Mantadia NP 4.3/5 4 Birding Ratings
- Isalo NP 3.2/5 6 Birding Ratings
- Ranomafana NP 4.0/5 2 Birding Ratings
Recommended Birding Books
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