BIRDS OF MADAGASCAR – 15 DAYS

From 2 to 10 persons.

It is just an approach because time is limited, traveling several months is needed to apprehend a large number of Madagascar birding sites.

Malagasy aviary is unbelievable ! not particularly by its density but its endemism above all, 107 endemic species amongst 294. Nowhere else but here, in this region, in this Reserve or National Park, in this valley to encounter this or that species. That is the case for the Fitatrala (Copsychus albospecularis), the Firasa (Accipiter madagascariensis), the Akohonala, the crested Ibis (Lophotibis cristata) … and many others !

You are with a specialist !

Best months: october – november

Highlights

Travel identity card

• Duration: 15 days
• Participant: From 2 persons
• Guiding: English-speaking Malagasy guide
• Accommodation: Hotel standard or superior
• Transport: 4×4 or bus or minibus
• Period: october – november – mid-december

• Effort = 1

  “Easy”This trip is accessible to all. However, we ask you to be healthy.
  It is a journey of discovery and short hikes are scheduled for site visits.
  Madagascar is large, the steps in a vehicle can sometimes be a little long.

• Confort = 4

  “Standard”All nights are in hotels. The accommodations and/or the hotel are good categories and equivalent to 2 or 3 stars international standards.
  Dinner in restaurant, lunch at the restaurant and / or picnic.
  Travel take place in comfortable vehicle on roads and/or on relatively good tracks.

Day 1: Antananarivo > Andasibe

Meet your guide and get a briefing before heading to Andasibe.

We drive east by road national 7, the route to Tamatave where the big port of Madagascar is.

It is though a busy road but could give us the opportunity to observe or to see a few species of birds during the drive.

Birds check list: Dimorphic eagret, Madagascar Red Foudi, Madagascar Kestrel, Madagascar crested Drongo.

• Duration: +/- 4h
• Distance: 150 km

Day 2: Analamazaotra Reserve

Early start to the forest.

In every parks we will visit during the trip, a local birder guide is ready to assist our Malagasy Tours leader. We are in a rainforest here. There are several species of birds with a few endemics. We pack our lunch to  the forest with us to enjoy the most of our time to our passion when we are birding.

We might be back to the hotel only in late afternoon.

Birds check list: Madagascar crested Ibis, Madagascar Buzzard, Madagascar turtle Dove, lesser Vasa Parrot, greater Vasa Parrot, Madagascar lesser Cuckoo, blue Coua, Madagascar Coucal, Madagascar Scops Owl, Madagascar Long-eared Owl, Madagascar Kingfisher, Madagascar Flufftail, Broad-billed Roller, Rufous-headed Ground Roller, Madagascar Cuckoo Roller, Common Sunbird Asity, Madagascar Cuckooshrike, Ward’s Flycatcher, Red-tailed Vanga, Chabert’s Vanga, Madagascar Blue Vanga, Nuthatch Vanga,Hook-billed Vanga, Madagascar Starling, Madagascar Magpie Robin, Malagasy Stonechat, Long-billed Tetraka, Spectacled Tetraka, Madagascar Brush Warbler, Dark Newtonia, Common Newtonia, Common Jery, Green Jery, Stripe-throated Jery, White-throated Oxylabes, Madagascar Wagtail, Nelicourvi Weaver, Madagascar Red Foudi, Forest Foudi, Madagascar Green Sunbird, Brown Emutail.

• Duration: Full day
• We organise your picnic lunch

Day 3: Mantadia National Park

We discover another part of the forest with our guide, much more difficult access but certainly more interesting for being less visited !

It is possible to observe several species with some very rare ones in Mantadia National Park.

Bird check list: Little Grebe, White-throated rail, Madagascar Spine-tailed Swift, Short-legged Ground Roller, Scaly Ground Roller, Pitta-like Ground Roller, Cryptic Tetraka, White-headed Vanga, Tylas

• Duration: Full day
• We organise your picnic lunch

Day 4: Forest of Mitsinjo

Start always early with the bird guide in the same area, visit of Antorotorofotsy and Mitsinjo which have slight different biotopes.

The same species as listed above can be observed here with some very rare ones.

Birds check list: Kittlitz’ Plover, Hottentote Teal, Velvet Asity, Ptta-like Ground Roller, Madagascar Wagtail, Collared Nightjar.

• Duration: Full day
• We organise your picnic lunch

Day 5: Andasibe > Antananarivo > Antsirabe

We head back to Antananarivo where we pass by lunch time.

Drive down to Antsirabe and stop on the way to observe some species living in rice fields along the road.

Ride across the Malagasy Highlands to the south direction.

 

• Duration: +/- 7h
• Distance: 340 km

Day 6: Antsirabe > Ranomafana

One more driving day on the road 7. We join the Betsileo tribe area after Ambositra town.

Take a flash stop in Ankazomivady where it is possible to observe some heath species of birds.

Continuation towards Ranomafana where we get into another rain forest.

Several species have been discovered there recently.

Birds check list: Malagasy Stonechat, Long-billed Tetraka, Spectacled Tetraka, Stripe-throated Jery, Common Jery, Madagascar Coucal.

• Duration: +/- 5h
• Distance: 250 km

Days 7 and 8: Ranomafana National Park

We always walk into the forest always with a local birder form the Park and are going to stay two days in this interesting birding site.

It is a dense forest and walking through is sometimes difficult. We are indeed looking for birds but there are also lemurs such as the Greater bamboo lemur and the Golden bamboo Lemur.

Also insects, reptiles and amphibians. Though birds are discreet in the middle of the day but other exciting observation keep us busy.

Birds check list: Slender-billed Flufftail, Grey Emutail, Squacco Heron, Yellow-browed Oxylabes, Velvet Asity, Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asity, Pollen’s Vanga, Pitta-like Ground Roller, Rufous-headed Groung-Roller, Short-legged Ground Roller, Grey-crowned Tetraka, Brown Emutail, Forest Rock-thrush, Madagascar Serpent Eagle, Tylas Vanga, Black-crowned Night Heron, Madagascar Brush Warbler, Common Newtonia, Madagascar Spine-tailed Swift, Common Sunbird Asity, Madagascar Scops Owl, Mascarene Martin, Nelicourvi Weaver, Rufous Vanga, Madagascar Turtle Dove, Hook-billed Vanga, White-headed Vanga, Madagascar Mannikin, Madagascar Crested Ibis, Madagascar Bee Eater, Madagascar Wagtail, Madagascar Cuckoo Roller, Brown Mesite, Crossley Vanga, Madagascar Green Sunbird, Souimanga Sunbird, Stripe-throated Jery, Common Jery, Green Jery, White-throated Oxylabes, Spectacled Tetraka, Long-billed Tetraka, Ward’s Vanga, Madagascar Paradise Flycatcher, Madagascar Green Pigeon, Madagascar White-Eye.

• Duration:  2 Full days
• We organise your picnic lunch

Day 9: Ranomafana > Ranohira

Back on the main road7 and pass through Fianarantsoa town.

It is a driving day with a great change to the landscape, the vegetation and the climate.

Starting from rainforest by way of Ihorombe plateau to Isalo wide massif, in a wonderful scenery of the west of Madagascar landscape.

It is possible to observe a few species on the way.

Bird check list: Reunion Harrier, Black-shouldered Kite (very rare species)

• Duration: +/- 7h
• Distance: 350 km

Day 10: The birds of the Isalo NP

Isalo National Park is not a real birding site but it is though the best place to observe the famous Benson’s Rock Thrush endemic to the Park.

Isalo is also a superb site combining geology and botany that taking an important place in the discovery of the area.

A local guide will show us his universe.

Bird check list: Littoral rock Trush, Forest Rock Thrush, Madagascar Kestrel, Madagascar Buttonquail, Madagascar Turtle Dove, Namaqua Dove, African Palm Swift, Madagascar Bee Eater, Broad-billed Roller, Madagascar Hoopoe, Souimanga Sunbird.

• Duration: Full day
• We organise your picnic lunch

Day 11: Ranohira > Zombitse Forest > Tulear

Leave the hotel in Ranohira very early, we stop in Zombitse which is not much very visited site.

It is a National Park located in a corridor of forest in the west coast, our purpose is to trying to find some very rare species there.

We go on to south west direction after the visit.

Continuation until we get to Tuléar.

Bird check list: Appert’s Tetraka, Giant Coua, White-browed Owl, Red-shouldered Vanga, Madagascar Buzzard, Madagascar Harrier-hawk, Namaqua Dove, Madagascar Blue Pigeon, Greater Vasa Parrot, Grey-headed Lovebird, Madagascar Lesser Cuckoo, Coquerel’s Coua, Crested Coua, Madagascar Coucal, Madagascar Hoppoe, Madagascar Buttonquail, Broad-billed Roller, Madagascar Cuckoo Roller, Madagascar Paradise Flycatcher, Madagascar Crested Drongo, Red-tailed Vanga, Chabert’s Vanga, Blue Vanga, Madagascar Magpie robin, Long-billed Tetraka, Madagascar Spine-tailed Swift, Common Newtonia, Archbold’s Newtonia, Common Jery, 

• Duration: +/- 5h
• Distance: 250 km
• We organise your picnic lunch

Day 12: Table Mountain and St Augustin

Tulear has also its own Table Mountain !

Paths have been arranged recently in this site, this offer us a good hike to look for endemic species of the region. We will explore also the surroundings down to Baie de St Augustin.

Apart from bird watching, we have a very beautiful landscape here overlooking the Mozambique Channel, Ifaty lagoon and Anakao from far away.

Bird check list: Running Coua, Red-capped Coua, Verreaux’s Coua, Sub-desert Messite, Red-shouldered Vanga.

• Duration: Full day
• We organise your picnic lunch

Day 13: Tulear > Ifaty

Leave Tulear behind to head to Ifaty passing by Belalanda Lakes.

We walk in the mangrove and discover the avifauna. A local NGO run this aquatic area, bird watching to the region.

We head back to the hotel and enjoy the place in the afternoon after the heavy heat in the spiny forest.

Bird check list: Black-winged Stilt, Ruddy Turnstone, Madagascar Plover, Pied avocet, Common Sandpiper, Greater Flamingo, Lesser Flamingo, Hottentot Teal.

• Duration: Full day
• Distance: 40 km

Day 14: Birds in the dry forest

Visit of the spiny forest for bird watching with a local specialist birder.

The interest is again not only birds here, we explore a very special vegetation in a world of spines: aloe, euphorbia, didieracea …etc.

Ifaty lagoon is also superb with its turquoise water and the sails of Vezo fishing people.

Bird check list: Madagascar Buzzard, Madagascar Harrier-hawk, Madagascar Kestrel, Madagascar Buttonquail, Subdesert Mesite, Common Whimbrel, Common Greenshank, Black-winged Stilt, Ruddy Turnstone, Common Sandpiper, Grey Plover, Madagascar Plover, Lesser Crested Tern, Madagascar Turtle Dove, Namaqua Dove, Madagascar Green pigeon, Greater Vasa Parrot, Lesser Vasa Parrot, Grey-headed Lovebird, Madagascar Lesser Cuckoo, Red-fronted Coua, Running Coua, Green-caped Coua, Crested Coua, Madagascar Coucal, Madagascar Nightjar, Madagascar Black Swift, Madagascar Kingfisher, Madagascar Bee Eater, Long-tailed Ground-roller,Madagascar Hopooe, Madagascar Cuckooshrike, Red-tailed Vanga, Hook-billed Vanga, Lafresnay’s Vanga,Sickle-billed Vanga,White-headed Vanga, Chabert’s Vanga, Madagascar Magpie Robin, Long-billed Tetraka, Subdesert Brush Warbler, Subdesert Tetraka, Common Newtonia, Archbold’s Newtonia, Common Jery, Madagascar Mannikin, Sakalava Weaver, Madagascar Red Foudi, Madagascar Lark.

• Duration: Full day
• We organise your picnic lunch

Day 15: Ifaty > Tulear > Antananarivo

Morning at leisure and transfer to the airport organised by the hotel.

Fly to the capital.

 

• Duration: 1h15 flight