Madagascar is often referred to as the "Eighth Continent" and its exceptional fauna and flora have evolved over millions of years of isolation. This legendary uniqueness is nowhere better reflected than in its birds. Of the two hundred species regularly recorded on the island, no fewer than one hundred and forty are endemic or near endemic. Furthermore, these include six entire families of birds endemic to the island (the groundrollers, cuckoo roller, asities, mesites, Madagascar warblers and vanga). But the wonder of Madagascar extends well beyond its avifauna; do not neglect the amazing lemurs, colourful chameleons and fascinating flora of this appropriately named 'laboratory of evolution'. Virtually every plant and animal on the island is endemic, but sadly most are threatened by continued deforestation, thus making Madagascar one of those "must visit soon" destinations. In the little-known deciduous woodlands of the north-west search for such specials as White-breasted Mesite, the stunning Schlegel's Asity and Van Dam's Vanga. Endangered water birds include Madagascar Fish-eagle, Bernier's Teal and Madagascar Sacred Ibis. Tour the bird-rich sites of Perinet and Mantadia National Park in the eastern rainforest zone and search for exotic birds including Madagascar Ibis, Madagascar Wood Rail, Red-breasted Coua, Velvet Asity, Nuthatch Vanga and Brown Emutail. Nowhere in the world looks anything like the astonishing Spiny Desert around Ifaty with bulbous baobabs and weird spiny pinnacles with a plethora of peculiar endemics. And visit the specialised coral rag scrub of the southwest, home to the recently discovered Red-shouldered Vanga. Other target species include Long-tailed Ground Roller, Subdesert Mesite, Madagascar Plover, Thamnornis and Sickle-billed Vanga. In the north-east the island's last remaining extensive lowland rainforests provide the chance to observe some of Madagascar's most existing species. Search for Madagascar Serpent Eagle and Red Owl which were thought to be extinct for years. Besides the birds, experience up to 27 species of lemurs, other mammals from civets to tenrecs, dozens of species of chameleons, cryptic leaf-tailed geckos and other bizarre reptiles and amphibians. Text kindly provided by Rockjumper – leading bird tour operators with worldwide destinations including Madagascar.
Schlegel's Asity © Pete Morris/Birdquest
Showing the 46 Most Recent Trip Reports Posted
Madagascar 2007: 25th August to 15th September, author Ian Merrill (added September 3, 2008)
(3 mesites, White-browed and Madagascar Long-eared Owls, 5 ground-rollers, 2 asites, 2 sunbird-asites, Helmet Vanga, 26 lemur species)
Madgascar in the low season - 20th July - 11th August 2009, author Oscar Campbell (added September 29, 2009)
(Perinet, Ampijoroa, Ranomafana, Ifaty, Ground-rollers, Meller's Duck, Collared Nightjar, Red-shouldered Vanga, Diademed Sifaka, Indri and Humpbacked Whales)
Saving the Madagascar Pochard, the rarest duck in the world, author Glyn Young (added September 10, 2009)
Madagascar: 15 September - 02 October 2011, author Catherine McFadden (added October 30, 2011)
(Andasibe-Mantadia, Ranomafana, Zombitse, Ifaty, Ampijoroa)
Northern Madagascar - 18th October – 4th November 2011, author Richard Rae (link created October 29, 2012)
(By visiting essentially just two of the main birding sites, we were able to see 73 Madagascar endemics as well as a further 17 regional endemics.)
Madagascar - 27th November 2017 to 19th December 2017, author Sandra Harding (added October 24, 2018)
(Lake Kinkony, Sakalava Rail, Helmet Vanga,Mahajanga)
Madagascar - 21st July - 12th August 2013, author Dick Meijer (link created November 5, 2013)
(Serious birders should visit Madagascar at least once.)
Madagascar - 17th - 31st October 2017, author Chris Lotz, Birding Ecotours (link created November 30, 2019)
(A birding wonder of the world!)
Madagascar: The Best of Madagascar, Birds and Wildlife Trip Report, author Birding Ecotours (added November 23, 2022)
(Cuckoo Roller, Brown Mesite, Rufous Mouse Lemur, Coquerel’s and Giant Couas, White-browed Owl, Long-tailed Ground Roller,Sickle-billed Vanga, Subdesert Mesite, Red-tailed Tropicbird, Great Frigatebird)
Madagascar: The Eighth Continent, October 2006, author Josh Engel (added November 2, 2006)
(Ampijoroa, Perinet, Ranomafana, Ifaty)
Madagascar - 15 September to 2 December 2008, author Herve Jacob (added November 17, 2012)
Madagascar with Tropical Birding - The Eighth Continent with the Northwest Extension and the Helmet Vanga Northeast Extension - 3rd - 30th October 2008, author Josh Engel (added November 1, 2008)
(We recorded every species of mesite, ground roller, asity and even vanga!)
Madagascar Oct 2010, author Rockjumper Birding Tours (link created March 9, 2011)
Madagascar Oct 2010, author Rockjumper Birding Tours (link created March 9, 2011)
Madagascar Oct-Nov 2008, author Rockjumper Birding Tours (link created March 9, 2011)
Madagascar Oct 2009, author Rockjumper Birding Tours (link created March 9, 2011)
Madagascar - November 1st – 14th 2013, author Chris Lotz, Birding Ecotours (link created March 8, 2014)
Comoro Islands and Remote Madagascar - November 2014, author Chris Lotz, Birding Ecotours (link created June 19, 2021)
(The iconic islands of the Comoros boast some 28 endemics while Madagascar yields well over 100 endemics of its own)
Slender-billed Flufftail and more in Madagascar, author Arjan Brenkman (added June 16, 2007)
(Perinet, Mantadia, Ampijoroa, Tulear, Ifaty, Zombitse, Ranamofana)
Madagascar - Highlights I Jul-Aug 16, author Rockjumper Birding Tours (link created June 13, 2017)
(Madagascar, White-throated Rail, Red-fronted Coua, Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher, Madagascan Pygmy Kingfisher, Cuckoo Roller, Crossley's Vanga, White-browed Hawk-Owl, Long-tailed Ground Roller, Madagascan Plover, Subdesert Mesite, Running Coua, Sickle-bill)
Madagascar - October 2003, author Steve Bird (added June 1, 2006)
(184 species recorded)
Madagascar Rarities - December 2015, author Phil Gregory (added January 3, 2016)
(Aye-aye, fossa, Sakalava Rail, Madagascar Pochard, Amber Mt Rock Thrush, Red Owl)
Madagascar - November - December 2010, author John van der Woude (link created January 25, 2011)
(Perinet, Ranomafana, Zombitse, Ifaty)
Madagascar - 7th - 29th December 2015, author Stephen Blaber (added January 22, 2016)
(northwest, east, central, south, all vangas, mesites, ground rollers, asities)
The Comoro Islands and Remote Madagascar - November 2014, author Chris Lotz, Birding Ecotours (link created January 21, 2020)
(The Comoros boast 28 endemic species while Madagascar yields well over 100 endemics of its own)
Madagascar - October 2015, author Chris Lotz, Birding Ecotours (link created January 19, 2016)
(Evolving in isolation since its breakaway from Africa, the island of Madagascar has formed a unique suite of fauna and flora.)
The Best of Madagascar and Berenty Extension - 6th - 24th November 2016, author Chris Lotz, Birding Ecotours (link created January 11, 2017)
Madagascar: Central and South plus extensions - November 1st - December 28th, 2013, author Mike Nelson (added February 6, 2014)
(Andasibe, Ranomafana, Ifaty, Spiny Forest, Nosy Ve, Mananara, Masoala, Barenty, Ampijora, Betsiboke Delta)
Madagascar 1 - 18 November 2000, author The Travelling Naturalist (link created February 3, 2005)
Expedition to Madagascar!, author Alexander Coke Smith (link created December 5, 2011)
(Madagascar birds and mammals)
Madagascar - New Site in the Spiny Forest, author Ken Behrens (link created December 20, 2021)
(Spiny Forest, Long-tailed Ground-Roller, Subdesert Mesite, Madagascar Sandgrouse, Banded Kestrel, Lafresnaye's Vanga)
Madagascar - 26th October - 5th November 2017, author Sam Woods/Tropical Birding (added December 17, 2017)
Madagascar - November 1st to 8th 2017, author Peter Friedmann (added December 14, 2017)
(Maroatsetra, Masoala, Scaly Groundroller, Short-legged Groundroller, Helmet Vanga, Bernier's Vanga, Blue Coua)
Madagascar Highlights - August 2015, author Rockjumper Birding Tours (added August 27, 2015)
(Subdesert Mesite, Brown Emutail, White-browed Hawk-Owl, Madagascan Green Sunbird, Blue Coua)
The Best of Madagascar and Northwest and Berenty Extensions - 15th September - 5th October 2016, author Chris Lotz, Birding Ecotours (link created August 10, 2017)
Madagascar with Birding Africa: 21 days including Masoala in November 2006, author Callan Cohen (added April 27, 2009)
(all endemic birds, all near-endemic birds, 192 bird species, Helmet Vanga, 26 lemur species. Tana, Andasibe, Mantadia, Ranomafana, Isalo, Zombitse, Toliara, Ifaty, Nosy Ve, Mahajanga, Betsiboka Delta, Ankarafantsika (Ampijoroa), Masoala.)
Madagascar, 3-15 Oct 2023, author Henry Detwiler (added April 11, 2024)
(Madagascar)
Madagascar, 3-15 Oct 2023, author Henry Detwiler (added April 11, 2024)
(Madagascar)
Madagascar, 3-15 Oct 2023, author Henry Detwiler (added April 11, 2024)
(Madagascar)
Madagascar, 3-15 Oct 2023, author Henry Detwiler (added April 11, 2024)
(Madagascar)
Madagascar, 3-15 Oct 2023, author Henry Detwiler (added April 11, 2024)
(Madagascar)
Madagascar, 3-15 Oct 2023, author Henry Detwiler (added April 11, 2024)
(Madagascar)
Madagascar, 3-15 Oct 2023, author Henry Detwiler (added April 11, 2024)
(Madagascar)
Madagascar Oct-Nov 2011, author Rockjumper Birding Tours (link created April 11, 2012)
Madagascar Budget Birding Tour October 2011, author Rockjumper Birding Tours (link created April 11, 2012)
Madagascar Highlights July 2011, author Rockjumper Birding Tours (link created April 11, 2012)
No Sightings Have Been Posted for this Region Yet.