List of birds of Madagascar
Encyclopedia
Madagascar
is an island nation located off the southeastern coast of Africa
. Because of its long separation from neighboring continents—through tectonic movement, it split from Africa about 160 million years ago, and from India
around 90 million years ago—it contains many species endemic to the island. Of the 294 bird
species recorded on Madagascar, 105 are found nowhere else on earth, and a handful of others are shared only with the neighbouring Comoro Islands
.
This list's taxonomic
treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families, and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of Clements
's 6th edition. The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflects this taxonomy, as do the species counts found in each family account. Introduced and accidental species are included in the total counts for Madagascar.
Species status comments are taken from Morris and Hawkins' Birds of Madagascar: A Photographic Guide unless otherwise noted. The IUCN Red List codes are those given by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources; they come from the IUCN's Red List website.
Codes
.jpg)
Order: Anseriformes
. Family: Anatidae
The family Anatidae includes the duck
s and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese
and swan
s. These are birds that are modified for an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating. There are 131 species worldwide and 10 species which occur in Madagascar.
. Family: Numididae
Guineafowl are a group of African, seed-eating, ground-nesting birds that resemble partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled grey plumage. There are six species worldwide and one species has been introduced to Madagascar.
. Family: Phasianidae
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of quail
s, partridge
s, snowcock
s, francolin
s, spurfowls, tragopan
s, monal
s, pheasant
s, peafowl
s and jungle fowls. In general, they are plump (although they may vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings. There are 156 species worldwide and 3 species which occur in Madagascar.
One, the Alaotra Grebe, is now confirmed as extinct.
Flamingo
s are gregarious wading birds, usually 3 to 5 feet high, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. They are more numerous in the latter. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly-shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume, and are uniquely used upside-down. There are 6 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Madagascar.
Order: Procellariiformes
. Family: Diomedeidae
The albatrosses are among the largest of flying birds, and the great albatrosses from the genus Diomedea have the largest wingspans of any extant birds. There are 21 species worldwide and three species which occur in Madagascar.
. Family: Procellariidae
The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized 'true petrels', characterised by united nostrils with a medium septum, and a long outer functional primary. There are 75 species worldwide and 11 species which occur in Madagascar.
. Family: Sulidae
The sulids comprise the gannet
s and boobies
. Both groups comprise medium-to-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish. There are 9 species worldwide, three of which occur in Madagascar.
. Family: Phalacrocoracidae
The Phalacrocoracidae is a family of medium-to-large coastal, fish-eating seabirds that includes cormorants and shags. Plumage colouration varies with the majority having mainly dark plumage, some species being black and white, and a few being colourful. There are 38 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
. Family: Anhingidae
Darters are frequently referred to as "snake-birds" because of their long thin neck, which gives a snake-like appearance when they swim with their bodies submerged.
The males have black and dark brown plumage, an erectile crest on the nape and a larger bill than the female. The females have a much paler plumage especially on the neck and underparts. The darters have completely webbed feet, and their legs are short and set far back on the body. Their plumage is somewhat permeable, like that of cormorants, and they spread their wings to dry after diving. There are 4 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
Order: Pelecaniformes
. Family: Fregatidae
Frigatebird
s are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black and white or completely black, with long wings and deeply-forked tails. The males have inflatable coloured throat pouches. They do not swim or walk, and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan to body weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week. There are 5 species worldwide, two of which occur in Madagascar.
Order: Ciconiiformes
. Family: Ardeidae
The family Ardeidae contains the bittern
s, heron
s and egret
s. Herons and egrets are medium to large sized wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Unlike other long-necked birds suck as storks, ibises and spoonbills, members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted. There are 61 species worldwide, 14 of which occur in Madagascar.
Order: Ciconiiformes
. Family: Threskiornithidae
The Threskiornithidae is a family of large terrestrial and wading birds which includes the ibis
es and spoonbill
s. They have long, broad wings with 11 primary and about 20 secondary feathers. They are strong fliers and despite their size and weight, very capable soarers. There are 36 species worldwide and 4 species which occur in Madagascar.
. Family: Scopidae
The Hamerkop is a medium-sized bird with a long shaggy crest. The shape of its head with a curved bill and crest at the back is reminiscent of a hammer, hence its name. Its plumage is a drab brown all over.
. Family: Ciconiidae
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked, wading birds with long, stout bills. Storks are mute; bill-clattering is an important mode of stork communication at the nest. Their nests can be large and may be reused for many years. Many species are migratory. There are 19 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Madagascar.
Family: Pandionidae
Order: Falconiformes
. Family: Accipitridae
Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey and include hawk
s, eagle
s, kites
, harriers
and Old World vultures. These birds have powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. There are 233 species worldwide and 13 species which occur in Madagascar.
. Family: Falconidae
Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey. They differ from hawks, eagles, and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their feet. There are 62 species worldwide and 5 species which occur in Madagascar.
. Family: Mesitornithidae
. Family: Rallidae
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, flufftail
s, coot
s, and gallinule
s. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs, and have long toes which are well adapted to soft, uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and be weak fliers. There are 144 species worldwide and 12 species which occur in Madagascar.
. Family: Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes the plover
s, dotterels, and lapwing
s. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water, although there are some exceptions. There are 66 species worldwide and 9 species which occur in Madagascar.
. Family: Dromadidae
The Crab-plover is related to the waders. It resembles a plover but with very long grey legs and a strong heavy black bill similar to a tern. It has black and white plumage, a long neck, partially webbed feet and a bill designed for eating crabs.
. Family: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds, which includes the avocet
s and the stilt
s. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. There are 9 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Madagascar.
. Family: Jacanidae
The jacana
s are a group of tropical waders in the family Jacanidae. They are found worldwide in the Tropics. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat. There 8 species worldwide and one species which occurs in Madagascar.
. Family: Scolopacidae
The Scolopacidae are a large diverse family of small to medium sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlew
s, godwit
s, shanks
, tattler
s, woodcock
s, snipe
s, dowitcher
s and phalarope
s. The majority of species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enable different species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. There are 89 species worldwide and 17 species which occur in Madagascar.
. Family: Turnicidae
The buttonquails are small, drab, running birds which resemble the true quails.The female is the brighter of the sexes, and initiates courtship. The male incubates the eggs and tends the young. There are 16 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
. Family: Glareolidae
Glareolidae is a family of wading birds comprising the pratincole
s, which have short legs, long pointed wings and long forked tails, and the courser
s, which have long legs, short wings and long pointed bills which curve downwards. There are 17 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
. Family: Rostratulidae
Painted snipe are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the true snipes, but more brightly coloured. There are 2 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
. Family: Laridae
Laridae is a family of medium to large birds seabirds and includes gull
s and kittiwake
s. They are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. There are 55 species worldwide and two species which occur in Madagascar.
. Family: Sternidae
Tern
s are a group of generally general medium to large seabirds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species now known to live in excess of 25 to 30 years. There are 44 species worldwide and 18 species which occur in Madagascar.
. Family: Stercorariidae
The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with grey or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They nest on the ground in temperate and arctic regions and are long-distance migrants. There are 7 species worldwide and 3 species which occur in Madagascar.
Sandgrouse have small, pigeon like heads and necks, but sturdy compact bodies. They have long pointed wings and sometimes tails and a fast direct flight. Flocks fly to watering holes at dawn and dusk. Their legs are feathered down to the toes. There are 16 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Madagascar.
. Family: Columbidae
Pigeons and dove
s are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere
. There are 308 species worldwide and five species which occur in Madagascar.
Parrot
s are small to large birds with a characteristic curved beak shape. Their upper mandibles have slight mobility in the joint with the skull and the have a generally erect stance. All parrots are zygodactyl, having the four toes on each foot placed two at the front and two back. There are 335 species worldwide and three species which occur in Madagascar.
Order: Cuculiformes
. Family: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoo
s, roadrunner
s and anis
. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. Unlike the cuckoo species of the Old World, North American cuckoos are not brood parasites. There are 138 species worldwide and 12 species which occur in Madagascar.
Barn owl
s are medium to large sized owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons. There are 16 species worldwide and two species which occur in Madagascar.
Typical owl
s are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk. There are 195 species worldwide and five species which occur in Madagascar.
. Family: Caprimulgidae
Nightjar
s are medium-sized nocturnal birds with long wings, short legs and very short bills that usually nest on the ground. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves. There are 86 species worldwide and two species which occur in Madagascar.
Order: Apodiformes
. Family: Apodidae
Swift
s are small aerial birds, spending the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings that resemble a crescent or a boomerang. There are 98 species worldwide and six species which occur in Madagascar.
. Family: Alcedinidae
Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. There are 93 species worldwide and two species which occur in Madagascar.
. Family: Meropidae
The bee-eaters are a group of near passerine
birds in the family Meropidae. Most species are found in Africa but others occur in southern Europe, Madagascar, Australia and New Guinea. They are characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies and usually elongated central tail feathers. All are colorful and have long downturned bills and pointed wings, which give them a swallow-like appearance when seen from afar. There are 26 species worldwide and two species which occur in Madagascar.
. Family: Coraciidae
Rollers resemble crow
s in size and build, but are more closely related to the kingfisher
s and bee-eater
s. They share the colourful appearance of those groups with blues and browns predominating. The two inner front toes are connected, but the outer toe is not. There are 12 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Madagascar.
Order: Coraciiformes
. Family: Brachypteraciidae
The ground-roller are a small family of non-migratory
near-passerine bird
s. They resemble the true roller
s. All five species are found only in Madagascar.
Order: Coraciiformes
. Family: Leptosomatidae
The Cuckoo-roller is an insectivorous medium-sized bird of the forests of Madagascar and the Comoros. Unlike the true rollers and ground rollers, where the sexes have identical appearance, the male and female Cuckoo Roller have distinctive plumages. Males are mostly velvety grey. The back, tail, and wings are dark shiny green. They have a black eyestripe. Females and young birds are mostly brown marked with darker streaks. One species occurs on Madagascar.
. Family: Upupidae
Hoopoes have black, white and orangey-pink colouring with a large erectile crest on their head. There are 2 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Madagascar.
The asities are small plump bird, which are likely to be related to the broadbill
s. All four species are found only in Madagascar.
The wattle-eyes or puffback flycatchers are small stout passerine birds of the African tropics. They get their name from the brightly coloured fleshy eye decorations found in most species in this group. There are 31 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
The vangas are shrike
-like, arboreal forest birds, feeding on reptiles, frogs and insects. There are 15 species.
The cuckoo-shrikes are small to medium-sized passerine birds. They are predominantly greyish with white and black, although some species are brightly coloured. There are 82 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Madagascar.
The Old World Orioles are colourful passerine birds. They are not related to the New World orioles. There are 29 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
The drongos are mostly are black or dark grey in colour, sometimes with metallic tints. They have long forked tails, and some Asian species have elaborate tail decorations. They have short legs and sit very upright whilst perched, like a shrike. They flycatch or take prey from the ground. There are 24 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Monarchidae
The monarch flycatchers are small to medium-sized insectivorous passerines, which hunt by flycatching. There are 99 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Corvidae
The Corvidae family includes crow
s, raven
s, jay
s, chough
s, magpie
s, treepie
s, nutcracker
s, and ground jay
s. Corvids are above average in size for the bird order Passeriformes. Some of the larger species show high levels of learning behavior. There are 120 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Madagascar.
Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. Most larks are fairly dull in appearance. Their food is insects and seeds. There are 91 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Madagascar.
The Hirundinidae family is a group of passerines characterized by their adaptation to aerial feeding. Their adaptations include a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and short bills with wide gape. The feet are designed for perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base. There are 75 species worldwide and four species which occur in Madagascar.
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Pycnonotidae
Bulbuls are medium-sized songbirds. Some are colourful with yellow, red or orange vents, cheeks, throat or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive brown to black plumage. Some species have distinct crests.There are 130 species worldwide and six species which occur in Madagascar.
The Cisticolidae are warblers found mainly in warmer southern regions of the Old World. They are generally very small birds of drab brown or grey appearance found in open country such as grassland or scrub. There are 111 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Madagascar.
The family Sylviidae is a group of small insectivorous passerine birds. The Sylviidae mainly occur as breeding species, as the common name implies, in Europe, Asia and, to a lesser extent Africa. Most are of generally undistinguished appearance, but many have distinctive songs. There are 291 species worldwide and 11 species which occur in Madagascar.
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Muscicapidae
Old World flycatchers are a large group of small passerine birds native to the Old World. They are mainly small arboreal insectivores. The appearance of these birds is very varied, but they mostly have weak songs and harsh calls. There 274 species worldwide, three of which have occurred in Madagascar.
The babblers or timaliids are somewhat diverse in size and coloration, but are characterised by soft fluffy plumage. There are 270 species worldwide and 7 species which occur in Madagascar.
Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds. Their flight is strong and direct, and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country. They eat insects and fruit. Plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen. There are 125 species worldwide, three of which occur in Madagascar.
.jpg)
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Nectariniidae
The sunbirds and spiderhunters are very small passerine birds which feed largely on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. Flight is fast and direct on their short wings. Most species can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird, but usually perch to feed. There are 131 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Madagascar.
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Motacillidae
The Motacillidae are a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws and pipits. They are slender, ground feeding insectivores of open country. There are 54 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Madagascar.
Sparrow
s are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small, plump, brown or grey birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed-eaters, and they also consume small insects. There are 35 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
The white-eyes are small and are mostly of undistinguished appearance, the plumage above being generally either some dull color like greenish olive, but some species have a white or bright yellow throat, breast or lower parts, and several have buff flanks. As their name suggests many species have a white ring around the eyes. There are 96 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Ploceidae
The weavers are small passerine birds related to the finch
es. They are seed-eating birds with rounded conical bills. The males of many species are brightly coloured, usually in red or yellow and black, some species show variation in colour only in the breeding season. There are 116 species worldwide, four of which occur in Madagascar.
The estrildid finch
es are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia
. They are gregarious and often colonial seed-eaters with short thick but pointed bills. They are all similar in structure and habits, but have a wide variation in plumage colours and pattern. There are 141 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Madagascar.
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
is an island nation located off the southeastern coast of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. Because of its long separation from neighboring continents—through tectonic movement, it split from Africa about 160 million years ago, and from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
around 90 million years ago—it contains many species endemic to the island. Of the 294 bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
species recorded on Madagascar, 105 are found nowhere else on earth, and a handful of others are shared only with the neighbouring Comoro Islands
Comoro Islands
The Comoros Islands form an archipelago of volcanic islands situated off the south-east coast of Africa, to the east of Mozambique and north-west of Madagascar. They are divided between the sovereign state of Comoros and the French overseas department of Mayotte...
.
This list's taxonomic
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families, and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of Clements
James Clements
Dr. James Franklin Clements was an ornithologist, author and very successful businessman. He was born in New York....
's 6th edition. The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflects this taxonomy, as do the species counts found in each family account. Introduced and accidental species are included in the total counts for Madagascar.
Species status comments are taken from Morris and Hawkins' Birds of Madagascar: A Photographic Guide unless otherwise noted. The IUCN Red List codes are those given by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources; they come from the IUCN's Red List website.
Table legend
IUCN Red ListIUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
Codes
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| CR | Critically endangered Critically endangered Version 2010.3 of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 3744 Critically Endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and subpopulations.Critically Endangered by kingdom:*1993 Animalia*2 Fungi*1745 Plantae*4 Protista-References:... |
| EN | Endangered |
| EX | Extinct Extinction In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point... |
| LC | Least concern Least Concern Least Concern is an IUCN category assigned to extant taxon or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, Near Threatened, or Conservation Dependent... |
| NT | Near threatened Near Threatened Near Threatened is a conservation status assigned to species or lower taxa that may be considered threatened with extinction in the near future, although it does not currently qualify for the threatened status... |
| VU | Vulnerable Vulnerable species On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:... |
| Table of contents |
|---|
Non-passerines: Ducks • Guineafowl • Partridges and quails • Grebes • Flamingos • Penguins • Albatrosses • Shearwaters and petrels • Storm petrels • Tropicbirds • Boobies and gannets • Pelicans • Cormorants • Darters • Frigatebirds • Bitterns, herons and egrets • Ibises and spoonbills • Hamerkop • Storks • Osprey • Hawks, kites and eagles • Falcons • Mesites • Rails, crakes, gallinules, and coots • Plovers • Crab Plover • Avocets and stilts • Jacanas • Sandpipers and allies • Buttonquails • Pratincoles • Painted snipe • Gulls and terns • Skuas • Sandgrouse • Pigeons and doves • Parrots and allies • Cuckoos • Barn owls • Typical owls • Nightjars • Swifts • Kingfishers • Bee-eaters • Typical rollers • Ground-rollers • Cuckoo-roller • Hoopoes |
Passerines: Asities • Wattle-eyes • Vangas • Cuckoo-shrikes • Old World orioles • Drongos • Monarch flycatchers • Crows • Larks • Swallows and martins • Bulbuls • Cisticolas • Old World warblers • Old World flycatchers • Babblers • Starlings • Sunbirds • Wagtails • Sparrows • White-eyes • Weavers and allies • Waxbills and allies |
See also References External links |
Ducks and geese
Anseriformes
The order Anseriformes contains about 150 living species of birds in three extant families: the Anhimidae , Anseranatidae , and the Anatidae, which includes over 140 species of waterfowl, among them the ducks, geese, and swans.All species in the order are highly adapted for an aquatic existence at...
. Family: Anatidae
Anatidae
Anatidae is the biological family of birds that includes ducks, geese and swans. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all the world's continents except Antarctica and on most of the world's islands and island groups...
The family Anatidae includes the duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese
Goose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
and swan
Swan
Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
s. These are birds that are modified for an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating. There are 131 species worldwide and 10 species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| White-faced Whistling-Duck | Dendrocygna viduata | Common resident, LC |
| Fulvous Whistling-Duck | Dendrocygna bicolor | Uncommon resident, LC |
| White-backed Duck White-backed Duck The White-backed Duck is a waterbird of the family Anatidae. It is distinct from all other ducks, but most closely related to the whistling ducks in the subfamily Dendrocygninae, though also showing some similarities to the stiff-tailed ducks in the subfamily Oxyurinae... |
Thalassornis leuconotus | Rare resident, LC |
| Comb Duck Comb Duck The Knob-billed Duck , or Comb Duck, is an unusual, pan-tropical duck, found in tropical wetlands in sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar and south Asia from Pakistan to Laos and extreme southern China... |
Sarkidiornis melanotos | Locally common resident, LC |
| African Pygmy-goose | Nettapus auritus | Common resident, LC |
| Meller's Duck Meller's Duck Meller's Duck is a species of the dabbling duck genus Anas. It is endemic to eastern Madagascar. Although a population was established on Mauritius in the mid-18th century, this is on the verge of extinction due to habitat loss and competition by feral domestic ducks... * |
Anas melleri | Uncommon resident, EN |
| Red-billed Duck | Anas erythrorhyncha | Common resident, LC |
| Hottentot Teal Hottentot Teal The Hottentot Teal is a species of dabbling duck of the genus Anas. It is migratory resident in eastern and southern Africa, from Sudan and Ethiopia west to Niger and Nigeria and south to South Africa and Namibia. In west Africa and Madagascar it is sedentary.The Hottentot Teal breed year round,... |
Anas hottentota | Locally common resident, LC |
| Bernier's Teal Bernier's Teal Bernier's Teal Anas bernieri is a duck species of the genus Anas. It is endemic to Madagascar, where it is found only along the west coast.... * |
Anas bernieri | Rare resident, EN |
| Madagascar Pochard Madagascar Pochard The Madagascar Pochard is an extremely rare diving duck of the genus Aythya, previously thought extinct. Prior to a rediscovery in 2006, the last confirmed sighting of the species was at Lake Alaotra on the Central Plateau of Madagascar in 1991... * |
Aythya innotata | Recently rediscovered, CR |
Guineafowl
Order: GalliformesGalliformes
Galliformes are an order of heavy-bodied ground-feeding domestic or game bird, containing turkey, grouse, chicken, New and Old World Quail, ptarmigan, partridge, pheasant, and the Cracidae. Common names are gamefowl or gamebirds, landfowl, gallinaceous birds or galliforms...
. Family: Numididae
Guineafowl are a group of African, seed-eating, ground-nesting birds that resemble partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled grey plumage. There are six species worldwide and one species has been introduced to Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Helmeted Guineafowl Helmeted Guineafowl The Helmeted Guineafowl is the best known of the guineafowl bird family, Numididae, and the only member of the genus Numida... % |
Numida meleagris | Common resident, LC |
Partridges and quails
Order: GalliformesGalliformes
Galliformes are an order of heavy-bodied ground-feeding domestic or game bird, containing turkey, grouse, chicken, New and Old World Quail, ptarmigan, partridge, pheasant, and the Cracidae. Common names are gamefowl or gamebirds, landfowl, gallinaceous birds or galliforms...
. Family: Phasianidae
Phasianidae
The Phasianidae is a family of birds which consists of the pheasants and partridges, including the junglefowl , Old World Quail, francolins, monals and peafowl. The family is a large one, and is occasionally broken up into two subfamilies, the Phasianinae, and the Perdicinae...
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of quail
Quail
Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally considered in the order Galliformes. Old World quail are found in the family Phasianidae, while New World quail are found in the family Odontophoridae...
s, partridge
Partridge
Partridges are birds in the pheasant family, Phasianidae. They are a non-migratory Old World group.These are medium-sized birds, intermediate between the larger pheasants and the smaller quails. Partridges are native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East...
s, snowcock
Snowcock
The snowcocks are a group of bird species in the genus Tetraogallus of the pheasant family, Phasianidae. They are ground-nesting birds which breed in the mountain ranges of southern Eurasia from the Caucasus to the Himalayas and western China. The Himalayan Snowcock has been introduced...
s, francolin
Francolin
Francolins are birds that traditionally have been placed in the genus Francolinus, but now commonly are divided into multiple genera , although some of the major taxonomic listing sources have yet to divide them. They are members of the pheasant family, Phasianidae...
s, spurfowls, tragopan
Tragopan
Tragopan is a genus of bird in the family Phasianidae. These birds are commonly called "horny pheasants" because of two brightly-colored, fleshy horns on their heads that they can erect during courtship displays...
s, monal
Monal
A Monal is a bird of genus Lophophorus of the Pheasant family, Phasianidae. There are three species and several sub-species within the genus Lophophorus:* Himalayan Monal Lophophorus impejanus* Sclater's Monal Lophophorus sclateri...
s, pheasant
Pheasant
Pheasants refer to some members of the Phasianinae subfamily of Phasianidae in the order Galliformes.Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have...
s, peafowl
Peafowl
Peafowl are two Asiatic species of flying birds in the genus Pavo of the pheasant family, Phasianidae, best known for the male's extravagant eye-spotted tail, which it displays as part of courtship. The male is called a peacock, the female a peahen, and the offspring peachicks. The adult female...
s and jungle fowls. In general, they are plump (although they may vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings. There are 156 species worldwide and 3 species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar Partridge Madagascar Partridge The Madagascar Partridge is a species of bird in the Phasianidae family. It is found only in Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.... * |
Margaroperdix madagascarensis | Uncommon resident, LC |
| Common Quail Common Quail The Common Quail, Coturnix coturnix, is a small bird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. It is widespread and is found in parts of Europe, .- Description :It is a small rotund bird, essentially streaked brown with... |
Coturnix coturnix | Uncommon resident, LC |
| Harlequin Quail Harlequin Quail The Harlequin Quail is a species of bird in the Phasianidae family.It is found in Africa.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 10 July 2007.... |
Coturnix delegorguei | Uncommon visitor, LC |
Grebes
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Alaotra Grebe Alaotra Grebe The Alaotra Grebe , also known as Delacour's Little Grebe or Rusty Grebe, was a grebe endemic to Lake Alaotra and surrounding lakes in Madagascar. The last sighting was in 1985 and the species was declared extinct in 2010... * |
Tachybaltus rufolavatus | Extinct, EX |
| Little Grebe Little Grebe The Little Grebe , also known as Dabchick, member of the grebe family of water birds. At 23 to 29 cm in length it is the smallest European member of its family. It is commonly found in open bodies of water across most of its range.-Description:The Little Grebe is a small water bird with a pointed... |
Tachybaptus ruficollis | Locally common resident, LC |
| Madagascar Grebe Madagascar Grebe The Madagascar Grebe is a grebe found only in western and central Madagascar. It is classified as Vulnerable, with a population of less than 5,000. The most serious threat is, in the west, from reduction of habitat, especially by rice cultivation... * |
Tachybaptus pelzelnii | Uncommon resident, VU |
Flamingos
Order: Phoenicopteriformes. Family: PhoenicopteridaeFlamingo
Flamingo
Flamingos or flamingoes are gregarious wading birds in the genus Phoenicopterus , the only genus in the family Phoenicopteridae...
s are gregarious wading birds, usually 3 to 5 feet high, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. They are more numerous in the latter. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly-shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume, and are uniquely used upside-down. There are 6 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Flamingo Greater Flamingo The Greater Flamingo is the most widespread species of the flamingo family. It is found in parts of Africa, southern Asia , and southern Europe... |
Phoenicopterus roseus | Regular, rare breeder, LC |
| Lesser Flamingo Lesser Flamingo The Lesser Flamingo is a species in the flamingo family of birds that resides in Africa and in southern Asia... |
Phoenicopterus minor | Erratic migrant, NT |
Penguins
A single species has been found once in Madagascar; it may have been released by sailors.| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Rockhopper Penguin Southern Rockhopper Penguin The Southern Rockhopper Penguin group , are two subspecies of rockhopper penguin, that together are sometimes considered distinct from the Northern Rockhopper Penguin... |
Eudyptes chrysocome | Very rare vagrant, VU |
Albatrosses
Procellariiformes
Procellariiformes is an order of seabirds that comprises four families: the albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters, storm petrels, and diving petrels...
. Family: Diomedeidae
The albatrosses are among the largest of flying birds, and the great albatrosses from the genus Diomedea have the largest wingspans of any extant birds. There are 21 species worldwide and three species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow-nosed Albatross Yellow-nosed Albatross Yellow-nosed Albatross may refer to:Birds of genus Thalassarche:* Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross, T. chlororhynchos* Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross, T. carteri... |
Thalassarche chlororhynchos | Rare vagrant, EN |
| Shy Albatross Shy Albatross The Shy Albatross or Shy Mollymawk, Thalassarche cauta, is a medium sized albatross that breeds off Australia and New Zealand's sub-Antarctic islands and ranges extensively across the Southern Ocean... |
Thalassarche cauta | Rare vagrant, NT |
| Black-browed Albatross Black-browed Albatross The Black-browed Albatross or Black-browed Mollymawk, Thalassarche melanophrys, is a large seabird of the albatross family Diomedeidae, and it is the most widespread and common albatross.-Taxonomy:... |
Thalassarche melanophrys | Rare vagrant, EN |
Shearwaters and petrels
Order: ProcellariiformesProcellariiformes
Procellariiformes is an order of seabirds that comprises four families: the albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters, storm petrels, and diving petrels...
. Family: Procellariidae
Procellariidae
The family Procellariidae is a group of seabirds that comprises the fulmarine petrels, the gadfly petrels, the prions, and the shearwaters. This family is part of the bird order Procellariiformes , which also includes the albatrosses, the storm-petrels, and the diving petrels.The procellariids are...
The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized 'true petrels', characterised by united nostrils with a medium septum, and a long outer functional primary. There are 75 species worldwide and 11 species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Giant Petrel Southern Giant Petrel The Southern Giant Petrel , also known as the Antarctic Giant Petrel, Giant Fulmar, Stinker, and Stinkpot, is a large seabird of the southern oceans. Its distribution overlaps broadly with the similar Northern Giant Petrel, though it overall is centered slightly further south... |
Macronectes giganteus | Regular offshore, NT |
| Cape Petrel Cape Petrel The Cape Petrel also called Cape Pigeon or Pintado Petrel, is a common seabird of the Southern Ocean from the family Procellariidae. It is the only member of the genus Daption, and is allied to the fulmarine petrels, and the Giant Petrels. It is also sometimes known as the Cape Fulmar... |
Daption capense | Offshore migrant, LC |
| Great-winged Petrel Great-winged Petrel The Great-winged Petrel or Grey-faced Petrel, Pterodroma macroptera, is a petrel. In New Zealand it is also known by its Māori name oi and as a muttonbird.- Taxonomy :... |
Pterodroma macroptera | Uncommon, LC |
| Soft-plumaged Petrel Soft-plumaged Petrel The Soft-plumaged Petrel is a species of seabird in the Procellariidae family.-Distribution:It breeds on islands in the Southern Hemisphere, nesting on Tristan da Cunha, Gough Island, the Prince Edward Islands, Crozet Islands, Macquarie Island, and on the Antipodes Islands of New Zealand. Small... |
Pterodroma mollis | Very rare vagrant, LC |
| Barau's Petrel Barau's Petrel Barau's Petrel, Pterodroma baraui is a medium sized gadfly petrel from the family Procellariidae. Its main breeding site is the island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean.-Etymology:... |
Pterodroma baraui | Very rare vagrant, EN |
| Antarctic Prion Antarctic Prion The Antarctic Prion, Pachyptila desolata, also known as the Dove Prion, or Totorore in Maori, is the largest of the prions, a genus of small petrels of the Southern Ocean.-Taxonomy:... |
Pachyptila desolata | Offshore migrant, LC |
| Slender-billed Prion Slender-billed Prion The Slender-billed Prion or Thin-billed Prion, Pachyptila belcheri, is a species of seabird in the Procellariidae family.It is found in the southern oceans.-Taxonomy:... |
Pachyptila belcheri | Rare vagrant, LC |
| Jouanin's Petrel Jouanin's Petrel Jouanin's Petrel is a species of seabird in the Procellariidae family.It is found in Djibouti, Indonesia, Pakistan, Kenya, Maldives, Mozambique, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Somalia, and Yemen.... |
Bulweria fallax | Very rare vagrant, LC |
| Cory's Shearwater Cory's Shearwater The Cory's Shearwater is a large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae.This species breeds on islands and cliffs in the Mediterranean, with the odd outpost on the Atlantic coast of Iberia. The nest is on open ground or among rocks or less often in a burrow where one white egg is laid,... |
Calonectris diomedea | Very rare vagrant, LC |
| Flesh-footed Shearwater Flesh-footed Shearwater The Flesh-footed Shearwater, Puffinus carneipes, is a small shearwater. Its plumage is black. It has pale pinkish feet, and a pale bill with a black tip. Together with the equally light-billed Pink-footed Shearwater, it forms the Hemipuffinus group, a superspecies which may or may not have an... |
Puffinus carneipes (A) | Very rare vagrant, LC |
| Wedge-tailed Shearwater Wedge-tailed Shearwater The Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Puffinus pacificus is a medium-large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. It is one of the shearwater species that is sometimes referred to as a Muttonbird, like the Sooty Shearwater of New Zealand and the Short-tailed Shearwater of Australia... |
Puffinus pacificus | Uncommon offshore, LC |
Storm petrels
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson's Storm Petrel | Oceanites oceanicus | Regular migrant, LC | |
| White-faced Storm Petrel | Pelagodroma marina | Very rare vagrant, LC | |
| White-bellied Storm Petrel | Fregetta grallaria | Very rare vagrant, LC | |
| Black-bellied Storm Petrel | Fregetta tropica | Regular, LC |
Tropicbirds
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Tropicbird White-tailed Tropicbird The White-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lepturus, is a tropicbird, smallest of three closely related seabirds of the tropical oceans and smallest member of the order Phaethontiformes. It occurs in the tropical Atlantic, western Pacific and Indian Oceans... |
Phaethon lepturus | Visiting breeder, LC |
| Red-billed Tropicbird Red-billed Tropicbird The Red-billed Tropicbird, Phaethon aethereus, also known as the Boatswain Bird is a tropicbird, one of three closely related seabirds of tropical oceans.-Distribution and habitat:... |
Phaethon aethereus | Very rare vagrant, LC |
| Red-tailed Tropicbird Red-tailed Tropicbird The Red-tailed Tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda, is a seabird that nests across the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the rarest of the tropicbirds, yet is still a widespread bird that is not considered threatened. It nests in colonies on oceanic islands.... |
Phaethon rubricauda | Visiting breeder, LC |
Boobies and gannets
Order: PelecaniformesPelecaniformes
The Pelecaniformes is a order of medium-sized and large waterbirds found worldwide. As traditionally—but erroneously—defined, they encompass all birds that have feet with all four toes webbed. Hence, they were formerly also known by such names as totipalmates or steganopodes...
. Family: Sulidae
Sulidae
The bird family Sulidae comprises the gannets and boobies. Collectively called sulidas, they are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish and similar prey. The ten species in this family are often considered congeneric in older sources, placing all in the genus Sula...
The sulids comprise the gannet
Gannet
Gannets are seabirds comprising the genus Morus, in the family Sulidae, closely related to the boobies.The gannets are large black and white birds with yellow heads. They have long pointed wings and long bills. Northern gannets are the largest seabirds in the North Atlantic, with a wingspan of up...
s and boobies
Booby
A booby is a seabird in the genus Sula, part of the Sulidae family. Boobies are closely related to the gannets , which were formerly included in Sula.-Description:...
. Both groups comprise medium-to-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish. There are 9 species worldwide, three of which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Masked Booby Masked Booby The Masked Booby, Sula dactylatra, is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. This species breeds on islands in tropical oceans, except in the eastern Atlantic; in the eastern Pacific it is replaced by the Nazca Booby, Sula granti, which was formerly regarded as a subspecies of Masked Booby... |
Sula dactylatra | Very rare vagrant, LC |
| Brown Booby Brown Booby The Brown Booby is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. The adult brown booby reaches about in length. Its head and upper body are covered in dark brown, with the remainder being a contrasting white. The juvenile form is gray-brown with darkening on the head, wings and tail... |
Sula leucogaster | Visiting breeder, LC |
| Red-footed Booby Red-footed Booby The Red-footed Booby, Sula sula, is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. As suggested by the name, adults always have red feet, but the colour of the plumage varies. They are powerful and agile fliers, but they are clumsy in takeoffs and landings... |
Sula sula | Uncommon visitor, LC |
Pelicans
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Pink-backed Pelican Pink-backed Pelican The Pink-backed Pelican is a member of the pelican family of birds. It is a resident breeder in Africa, southern Arabia and apparently extinct in Madagascar in swamps and shallow lakes.-Description:... |
Pelecanus rufescens | Rare vagrant, LC |
Cormorants
Order: PelecaniformesPelecaniformes
The Pelecaniformes is a order of medium-sized and large waterbirds found worldwide. As traditionally—but erroneously—defined, they encompass all birds that have feet with all four toes webbed. Hence, they were formerly also known by such names as totipalmates or steganopodes...
. Family: Phalacrocoracidae
The Phalacrocoracidae is a family of medium-to-large coastal, fish-eating seabirds that includes cormorants and shags. Plumage colouration varies with the majority having mainly dark plumage, some species being black and white, and a few being colourful. There are 38 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Long-tailed Cormorant Long-tailed Cormorant The Reed Cormorant , also known as the Long-tailed Cormorant, is a bird in the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. It breeds in much of Africa south of the Sahara, and Madagascar. It is resident but undertakes some seasonal movements.This is a common and widespread species, and is not considered to... |
Phalacrocorax africanus | Resident, LC |
Darters
Order: PelecaniformesPelecaniformes
The Pelecaniformes is a order of medium-sized and large waterbirds found worldwide. As traditionally—but erroneously—defined, they encompass all birds that have feet with all four toes webbed. Hence, they were formerly also known by such names as totipalmates or steganopodes...
. Family: Anhingidae
Darters are frequently referred to as "snake-birds" because of their long thin neck, which gives a snake-like appearance when they swim with their bodies submerged.
The males have black and dark brown plumage, an erectile crest on the nape and a larger bill than the female. The females have a much paler plumage especially on the neck and underparts. The darters have completely webbed feet, and their legs are short and set far back on the body. Their plumage is somewhat permeable, like that of cormorants, and they spread their wings to dry after diving. There are 4 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| African Darter African Darter The African Darter , sometimes called the Snakebird, is a water bird of sub-Saharan Africa.-Taxonomy:The African Darter is a member of the darter family, Anhingidae, and is closely related to American , Oriental , and Australian Darters.-Description:The male is mainly glossy... |
Anhinga rufa | Resident, LC |
Frigatebirds
Pelecaniformes
The Pelecaniformes is a order of medium-sized and large waterbirds found worldwide. As traditionally—but erroneously—defined, they encompass all birds that have feet with all four toes webbed. Hence, they were formerly also known by such names as totipalmates or steganopodes...
. Family: Fregatidae
Frigatebird
Frigatebird
The frigatebirds are a family, Fregatidae, of seabirds. There are five species in the single genus Fregata. They are also sometimes called Man of War birds or Pirate birds. Since they are related to the pelicans, the term "frigate pelican" is also a name applied to them...
s are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black and white or completely black, with long wings and deeply-forked tails. The males have inflatable coloured throat pouches. They do not swim or walk, and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan to body weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week. There are 5 species worldwide, two of which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Frigatebird | Fregata minor | Casual visitor, LC |
| Lesser Frigatebird Lesser Frigatebird The Lesser Frigatebird, Fregata ariel, is a species of frigatebird.It nests in Australia, among other locations.There is a single record from the Western Palearctic, from Eilat in the Gulf of Aqaba.... |
Fregata ariel | Casual visitor, LC |
Bitterns, herons and egrets
Ciconiiformes
Traditionally, the order Ciconiiformes has included a variety of large, long-legged wading birds with large bills: storks, herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills, and several others. Ciconiiformes are known from the Late Eocene...
. Family: Ardeidae
The family Ardeidae contains the bittern
Bittern
Bitterns are a classification of birds in the heron family, Ardeidae, a family of wading birds. Species named bitterns tend to be the shorter-necked, often more secretive members of this family...
s, heron
Heron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
s and egret
Egret
An egret is any of several herons, most of which are white or buff, and several of which develop fine plumes during the breeding season. Many egrets are members of the genera Egretta or Ardea which contain other species named as herons rather than egrets...
s. Herons and egrets are medium to large sized wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Unlike other long-necked birds suck as storks, ibises and spoonbills, members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted. There are 61 species worldwide, 14 of which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Little Bittern Little Bittern The Little Bittern is a wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, native to the Old World, breeding in Africa, central and southern Europe, western and southern Asia, and Madagascar. Birds from temperate regions in Europe and western Asia are migratory, wintering in Africa and further south in... |
Ixobrychus minutus | Scarce breeder, LC |
| Black-crowned Night-Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | Uncommon resident, LC |
| Squacco Heron Squacco Heron The Squacco Heron, Ardeola ralloides, is a small heron, long, of which the body is , with wingspan. It is of Old World origins, breeding in southern Europe and the Greater Middle East.-Behaviour:... |
Ardeola ralloides | Common resident, LC |
| Madagascar Pond-Heron Madagascar Pond-heron The Malagasy Pond Heron , also known as the Madagascar Pond Heron, is a species of heron in the Ardeidae family. It is found in Angola, Bahamas, Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mayotte, Mozambique, Rwanda, Réunion, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania,... |
Ardeola idae | Visiting breeder, LC |
| Cattle Egret Cattle Egret The Cattle Egret is a cosmopolitan species of heron found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Bubulcus, although some authorities regard its two subspecies as full species, the Western Cattle Egret and the Eastern Cattle Egret... |
Bubulcus ibis | Common resident, LC |
| Striated Heron Striated Heron The Striated Heron, Butorides striata, also known as Mangrove Heron, Little Heron or Green-backed Heron, is a small heron. Striated Herons are mostly non-migratory and noted for some interesting behavioral traits. Their breeding habitat is small wetlands in the Old World tropics from west Africa to... |
Butorides striata | Fairly common resident, LC |
| Black Heron Black Heron The Black Heron also known as the Black Egret, is an African heron. It is a medium-sized , black-plumaged heron with yellow legs and feet. It is found south of the Sahara Desert, including Madagascar, and prefers shallow open waters, such as the edges of freshwater lakes and ponds... |
Egretta ardesiaca | Fairly common resident, LC |
| Dimorphic Egret Dimorphic Egret The Dimorphic Egret is a species of heron in the Ardeidae family. It is found in Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mayotte, Seychelles, and Tanzania.In 2009, the IUCN lumped Egretta dimorpha with the Little Egret Egretta garzetta.... |
Egretta dimorpha | Fairly common resident, LC |
| Great Egret Great Egret The Great Egret , also known as the Great White Egret or Common Egret, White Heron, or Great White Heron, is a large, widely-distributed egret. Distributed across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world, in southern Europe it is rather localized... |
Ardea alba | Common resident, LC |
| Purple Heron Purple Heron The Purple Heron is a wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, breeding in Africa, central and southern Europe, and southern and eastern Asia. The European populations are migratory, wintering in tropical Africa; the more northerly Asian populations also migrate further south within Asia... |
Ardea purpurea | Fairly common resident, LC |
| Gray Heron | Ardea cinerea | Fairly common resident, LC |
| Black-headed Heron Black-headed Heron The Black-headed Heron is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae, common throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. It is mainly resident but some west African birds move further north in the rainy season.... |
Ardea melanocephala | Very rare vagrant, LC |
| Humblot's Heron | Ardea humbloti | Uncommon resident, VU |
| Goliath Heron Goliath Heron The Goliath Heron is a very large wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae. It is found in sub-Saharan Africa, with smaller numbers in Southwest and South Asia.-Description:This is the world's largest heron... |
Ardea goliath | Very rare vagrant, LC |
Ibises and spoonbills
Ciconiiformes
Traditionally, the order Ciconiiformes has included a variety of large, long-legged wading birds with large bills: storks, herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills, and several others. Ciconiiformes are known from the Late Eocene...
. Family: Threskiornithidae
Threskiornithidae
The family Threskiornithidae includes 34 species of large terrestrial and wading birds, falling into two subfamilies, the ibises and the spoonbills. It was formerly known as Plataleidae. The spoonbills and ibises were once thought to be related to other groups of long-legged wading birds in the...
The Threskiornithidae is a family of large terrestrial and wading birds which includes the ibis
Ibis
The ibises are a group of long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae....
es and spoonbill
Spoonbill
Spoonbills are a group of large, long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae, which also includes the Ibises.All have large, flat, spatulate bills and feed by wading through shallow water, sweeping the partly opened bill from side to side...
s. They have long, broad wings with 11 primary and about 20 secondary feathers. They are strong fliers and despite their size and weight, very capable soarers. There are 36 species worldwide and 4 species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar White Ibis | Threskiornis bernieri | Rare resident, EN |
| Glossy Ibis Glossy Ibis The Glossy Ibis is a wading bird in the ibis family Threskiornithidae.This is the most widespread ibis species, breeding in scattered sites in warm regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Atlantic and Caribbean region of the Americas... |
Plegadis falcinellus | Common resident, LC |
| Madagascar Crested Ibis Madagascar Crested Ibis The Madagascar Ibis , also known as the Madagascar Crested Ibis, White-winged Ibis or Crested Wood Ibis, is a medium-sized , brown-plumaged ibis. It has bare red orbital skin, yellow bill, red legs, white wings and its head is partially bare with a dense crest of green or gloss blue and white... * |
Lophotibis cristata | Rare resident, NT |
| African Spoonbill African Spoonbill The African Spoonbill is a long-legged wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae. The species is widespread across Africa and Madagascar, including Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. It lives in marshy wetlands with some open shallow water and... |
Platalea alba | Uncommon resident, LC |
Hamerkop
Order: CiconiiformesCiconiiformes
Traditionally, the order Ciconiiformes has included a variety of large, long-legged wading birds with large bills: storks, herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills, and several others. Ciconiiformes are known from the Late Eocene...
. Family: Scopidae
The Hamerkop is a medium-sized bird with a long shaggy crest. The shape of its head with a curved bill and crest at the back is reminiscent of a hammer, hence its name. Its plumage is a drab brown all over.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Hamerkop | Scopus umbretta | Resident, LC |
Storks
Order: CiconiiformesCiconiiformes
Traditionally, the order Ciconiiformes has included a variety of large, long-legged wading birds with large bills: storks, herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills, and several others. Ciconiiformes are known from the Late Eocene...
. Family: Ciconiidae
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked, wading birds with long, stout bills. Storks are mute; bill-clattering is an important mode of stork communication at the nest. Their nests can be large and may be reused for many years. Many species are migratory. There are 19 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow-billed Stork Yellow-billed Stork The Yellow-billed Stork, Mycteria ibis, is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It occurs in Africa south of the Sahara and in Madagascar.... |
Mycteria ibis | Locally common, LC |
| African Openbill Stork African Openbill Stork The African Openbill is a species of stork in the Ciconiidae family.-Habitat and distribution:It is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,... |
Anastomus lamelligerus | Resident, LC |
Osprey
Order: FalconiformesFalconiformes
The order Falconiformes is a group of about 290 species of birds that comprises the diurnal birds of prey. Raptor classification is difficult and the order is treated in several ways.- Classification problems :...
Family: Pandionidae
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Osprey Osprey The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings... |
Pandion haliaetus | Rare vagrant, LC |
Hawks, kites and eagles
Falconiformes
The order Falconiformes is a group of about 290 species of birds that comprises the diurnal birds of prey. Raptor classification is difficult and the order is treated in several ways.- Classification problems :...
. Family: Accipitridae
Accipitridae
The Accipitridae, one of the two major families within the order Accipitriformes , are a family of small to large birds with strongly hooked bills and variable morphology based on diet. They feed on a range of prey items from insects to medium-sized mammals, with a number feeding on carrion and a...
Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey and include hawk
Hawk
The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...
s, eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
s, kites
Kite (bird)
Kites are raptors with long wings and weak legs which spend a great deal of time soaring. Most feed mainly on carrion but some take various amounts of live prey.They are birds of prey which, along with hawks and eagles, are from the family Accipitridae....
, harriers
Harrier (bird)
A harrier is any of the several species of diurnal hawks forming the Circinae sub-family of the Accipitridae family of birds of prey. Harriers characteristically hunt by flying low over open ground, feeding on small mammals, reptiles, or birds....
and Old World vultures. These birds have powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. There are 233 species worldwide and 13 species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar Baza Madagascar Baza The Madagascar Cuckoo-Hawk , also known as the Madagascar Baza or the Madagascar Cuckoo Falcon, is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.... * |
Aviceda madagascariensis | |
| Bat Hawk Bat Hawk The Bat Hawk is a raptor found in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia to New Guinea. It is named for its diet, which consists mainly of bats. It requires open space in which to hunt, but will live anywhere from dense rainforest to semi-arid veld.-Description:The Bat Hawk is a slender, medium-sized... |
Macheiramphus alcinus | |
| Black-shouldered Kite Black-shouldered Kite The Black-shouldered Kite or Australian Black-shouldered Kite is a small raptor found in open habitat throughout Australia and resembles similar species found in Eurasia and North America, which have in the past also been named as Black-shouldered Kites... |
Elanus caeruleus | |
| Yellow-billed Kite Yellow-billed Kite The Yellow-billed Kite is the Afrotropic counterpart of the Black Kite , of which it is most often considered a subspecies. However, recent DNA studies suggest that the Yellow-billed Kite differs significantly from Black Kites in the Eurasian clade, and should be considered as a separate,... |
Milvus aegyptius | |
| Madagascar Fish Eagle Madagascar Fish Eagle The Madagascar Fish Eagle or Madagascar Sea-eagle is a large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers. The range of this eagle is within the Madagascar dry deciduous forests... * |
Haliaeetus vociferoides | |
| Madagascar Serpent Eagle* | Eutriorchis astur | |
| Madagascar Harrier-hawk Madagascar Harrier-hawk The Madagascar Harrier-Hawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family.It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on... * |
Polyboroides radiatus | |
| Madagascar Marsh Harrier Madagascar Marsh Harrier The Malagasy Harrier is a bird of prey belonging to the marsh harrier group of harriers. It inhabits Madagascar and the Comoro Islands in the Indian Ocean. It was formerly regarded as a subspecies of the Réunion Harrier but is increasingly treated as a separate species... * |
Circus macrosceles | |
| Henst's Goshawk Henst's Goshawk Henst's Goshawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family.It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, and plantations.It is threatened by... * |
Accipiter henstii | |
| Madagascar Sparrowhawk Madagascar Sparrowhawk The Madagascar Sparrowhawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family.It is endemic to Madagascar... * |
Accipiter madagascariensis | |
| Frances's Goshawk* | Accipiter francesii | |
| Madagascar Buzzard Madagascar Buzzard The Madagascar Buzzard is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.... * |
Buteo brachypterus |
Falcons
Order: FalconiformesFalconiformes
The order Falconiformes is a group of about 290 species of birds that comprises the diurnal birds of prey. Raptor classification is difficult and the order is treated in several ways.- Classification problems :...
. Family: Falconidae
Falconidae
The falcons and caracaras are around 60 species of diurnal birds of prey that make up the family Falconidae. The family is divided into two subfamiles, Polyborinae, which includes the caracaras and forest falcons, and Falconinae, the falcons, kestrels and falconets.-Description:Falcons and...
Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey. They differ from hawks, eagles, and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their feet. There are 62 species worldwide and 5 species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar Kestrel Madagascar Kestrel The Madagascar Kestrel , also known as Malagasy Spotted Kestrel, Newton's Kestrel, Madagascar Spotted Kestrel, katiti or hitsikitsika , is a small bird of prey of the genus Falco. It is named after British ornithologist Edward Newton. It occurs in two subspecies on Madagascar and at Aldabra... |
Falco newtoni | Resident, LC |
| Banded Kestrel Banded Kestrel The Banded Kestrel is a bird of prey belonging to the falcon family Falconidae. It is endemic to Madagascar and is also known as the Madagascar Banded Kestrel, Barred Kestrel or Madagascar Barred Kestrel... * |
Falco zoniventris | Uncommon resident, LC |
| Eleonora's Falcon Eleonora's Falcon Eleonora's Falcon is a medium-sized falcon. It belongs to the hobby group, a rather close-knit number of similar falcons often considered a subgenus Hypotriorchis. The Sooty Falcon is sometimes considered its closest relative, but while they certainly belong to the same lineage, they do not seem... |
Falco eleonorae | Winter visitor, LC |
| Sooty Falcon Sooty Falcon The Sooty Falcon is a medium-sized falcon breeding from northeastern Africa to the southern Persian Gulf region. It belongs to the hobby group, a rather close-knit number of similar falcons often considered a subgenus Hypotriorchis... |
Falco concolor | Winter visitor, LC |
| Peregrine Falcon Peregrine Falcon The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"... |
Falco peregrinus | Scarce resident, LC |
Mesites
Order: GruiformesGruiformes
The Gruiformes are an order containing a considerable number of living and extinct bird families, with a widespread geographical diversity. Gruiform means "crane-like"....
. Family: Mesitornithidae
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| White-breasted Mesite White-breasted Mesite The White-breasted Mesite, Mesitornis variegatus, is a ground-dwelling bird endemic to Madagascar. One of three species in the mesite family Mesitornithidae, it has a small population and is restricted to five sites in the north and west of the island.... * |
Mesitornis variegata | Locally common resident, VU |
| Brown Mesite Brown Mesite The Brown Mesite, Mesitornis unicolor, is a ground-dwelling bird endemic to Madagascar. It is one of three species in the mesite family Mesitornithidae, and though vulnerable, it is the most widespread of the three.... * |
Mesitornis unicolor | Uncommon resident, VU |
| Subdesert Mesite Subdesert Mesite The Subdesert Mesite is a ground-dwelling bird endemic to Madagascar. It is one of three species in the mesite family Mesitornithidae, and is restricted in distribution to a small low-land region in southwest Madagascar.... * |
Monias benschi | Uncommon resident, VU |
Rails, crakes, gallinules, and coots
Order: GruiformesGruiformes
The Gruiformes are an order containing a considerable number of living and extinct bird families, with a widespread geographical diversity. Gruiform means "crane-like"....
. Family: Rallidae
Rallidae
The rails, or Rallidae, are a large cosmopolitan family of small to medium-sized birds. The family exhibits considerable diversity and the family also includes the crakes, coots, and gallinules...
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, flufftail
Flufftail
The flufftails are a genus, Sarothrura, of small birds in the rail family. The genus is restricted to seven species distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, and two species found in Madagascar. The group's common name is derived from the short tail which has degraded fluffy feathers...
s, coot
Coot
Coots are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family Rallidae. They constitute the genus Fulica. Coots have predominantly black plumage, and, unlike many of the rails, they are usually easy to see, often swimming in open water...
s, and gallinule
Rallidae
The rails, or Rallidae, are a large cosmopolitan family of small to medium-sized birds. The family exhibits considerable diversity and the family also includes the crakes, coots, and gallinules...
s. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs, and have long toes which are well adapted to soft, uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and be weak fliers. There are 144 species worldwide and 12 species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar Flufftail Madagascar Flufftail The Madagascar Flufftail is a species of bird in the Rallidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:... * |
Sarothrura insularis | |
| Slender-billed Flufftail Slender-billed Flufftail The Slender-billed Flufftail is a species of bird in the Rallidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are swamps and arable land.It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:... * |
Sarothrura watersi | |
| Madagascar Wood-rail* | Canirallus kioloides | |
| Tsingy Wood Rail Tsingy Wood Rail The Tsingy Wood Rail is a species of bird in the Rallidae family that only was scientifically described in 2011. It is endemic to areas with dry deciduous forest and limestone karst in the lowlands of west-central Madagascar... * |
Mentocrex beankaensis | |
| Madagascar Rail Madagascar Rail The Madagascar Rail is a species of bird in the Rallidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montanes, and freshwater marshes.It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:* BirdLife International... * |
Rallus madagascariensis | |
| White-throated Rail White-throated Rail The White-throated Rail or Cuvier's Rail is a species of bird in the Rallidae family. It is found in Comoros, Madagascar, Mayotte, and Seychelles. A flightless subspecies, Dryolimnas cuvieri aldabranus , inhabits Aldabra, while another, D. c... |
Dryolimnas cuvieri | |
| Sakalava Rail Sakalava Rail The Sakalava Rail is a species of bird in the Rallidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are rivers, swamps, freshwater lakes, and freshwater marshes.It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:... * |
Amaurornis olivieri | |
| Baillon's Crake Baillon's Crake The Baillon's Crake is a very small waterbird of the family Rallidae.-Distribution:Their breeding habitat is sedge beds in Europe, mainly in the east, and across Asia. They used to breed in Great Britain up to the mid-19th century, but the western European population declined through drainage.... |
Porzana pusilla | |
| Purple Swamphen Purple Swamphen The Purple Swamphen , also known as the African Purple Swamphen, Purple Moorhen, Purple Gallinule, Pūkeko or Purple Coot, is a large bird in the family Rallidae . From its name in French, talève sultane, it is also known as the Sultana Bird... |
Porphyrio porphyrio | |
| Allen's Gallinule Allen's Gallinule The Allen's Gallinule , formerly known as the Lesser Gallinule is a small waterbird of the family Rallidae. Its former binomial name is Porphyrula alleni.... |
Porphyrio alleni | |
| Common Moorhen Common Moorhen The Common Moorhen is a bird in the Rallidae family with an almost worldwide distribution. The North and South American Committees of the AOU and the IOC have voted on or before July 2011 to split the American forms into a new species Common Gallinule, however, no other committee has voted to... |
Gallinula chloropus | |
| Red-knobbed Coot Red-knobbed Coot The Red-knobbed Coot or Crested Coot, , is a member of the rail and crake bird family, the Rallidae.It is a resident breeder across much of Africa and in southernmost Spain on freshwater lakes and ponds. It builds a nest of dead reeds near the water's edge or more commonly afloat, laying about 8... |
Fulica cristata |
Plovers
Order: CharadriiformesCharadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Charadriidae
Charadriidae
The bird family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings, about 64 to 66 species in all.- Morphology :They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings, but most species of lapwing may have more rounded wings...
The family Charadriidae includes the plover
Plover
Plovers are a widely distributed group of wading birds belonging to the subfamily Charadriinae. There are about 40 species in the subfamily, most of them called "plover" or "dotterel". The closely related lapwing subfamily, Vanellinae, comprises another 20-odd species.Plovers are found throughout...
s, dotterels, and lapwing
Lapwing
Vanellinae are any of various crested plovers, family Charadriidae, noted for its slow, irregular wingbeat in flight and a shrill, wailing cry. Its length is 10-16 inches. They are a subfamily of medium-sized wading birds which also includes the plovers and dotterels. The Vanellinae are...
s. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water, although there are some exceptions. There are 66 species worldwide and 9 species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Common Ringed Plover | Charadrius hiaticula | |
| Kittlitz's Plover Kittlitz's Plover The Kittlitz’s Plover is a small plover found in much of Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, and the Nile delta. Some birds, especially in coastal areas, are resident, other populations are migratory or nomadic.-Description:... |
Charadrius pecuarius | |
| Madagascar Plover Madagascar Plover The Madagascar Plover is a species of bird in the Charadriidae family. It is also called the Black-banded Plover.It is endemic to Madagascar.... * |
Charadrius thoracicus | |
| Three-banded Plover Three-banded Plover The Three-banded Plover or Three-banded Sandplover, Charadrius tricollaris, is a small wader. This plover is resident in much of eastern and southern Africa and Madagascar, mainly on inland rivers, pools and lakes. Its nest is a bare scrape on shingle.The adult Three-banded Plover is 18 cm in... |
Charadrius tricollaris | |
| White-fronted Plover White-fronted Plover The White-fronted Plover or White-fronted Sandplover, Charadrius marginatus, is a small wader. This plover is resident in much of Africa south of the Sahara on rocky, sandy or muddy coasts and large inland rivers and lakes.... |
Charadrius marginatus | |
| Lesser Sandplover | Charadrius mongolus | |
| Greater Sandplover | Charadrius leschenaultii | |
| Pacific Golden Plover Pacific Golden Plover The Pacific Golden Plover is a medium-sized plover.The 23–26 cm long breeding adult is spotted gold and black on the crown, back and wings. Its face and neck are black with a white border and it has a black breast and a dark rump. The legs are black... |
Pluvialis fulva | |
| Grey Plover Grey Plover The Grey Plover , known as the Black-bellied Plover in North America, is a medium-sized plover breeding in arctic regions. It is a long-distance migrant, with a nearly worldwide coastal distribution when not breeding.... |
Pluvialis squatarola |
Crab-plover
Order: CharadriiformesCharadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Dromadidae
The Crab-plover is related to the waders. It resembles a plover but with very long grey legs and a strong heavy black bill similar to a tern. It has black and white plumage, a long neck, partially webbed feet and a bill designed for eating crabs.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Crab-plover | Dromas ardeola | Common visitor, LC |
Avocets and stilts
Order: CharadriiformesCharadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of birds in the wader suborder Charadrii. It contains two distinct groups of birds, the avocets and the stilts .-Description and diet:...
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds, which includes the avocet
Avocet
The four species of Avocets are a genus, Recurvirostra, of waders in the same avian family as the stilts.Avocets have long legs and long, thin, upcurved bills which they sweep from side to side when feeding in the brackish or saline wetlands they prefer...
s and the stilt
Stilt
Stilt is a common name for several species of birds in the family Recurvirostridae, which also includes those known as avocets. They are found in brackish or saline wetlands in warm or hot climates....
s. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. There are 9 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Black-winged Stilt Black-winged Stilt The Black-winged Stilt or Common Stilt is a widely distributed very long-legged wader in the avocet and stilt family . Opinions differ as to whether the birds treated under the scientific name H. himantopus ought to be treated as a single species and if not, how many species to recognize... |
Himantopus himantopus | Fairly common resident, LC |
| Pied Avocet Pied Avocet The Pied Avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta, is a large black and white wader in the avocet and stilt family, Recurvirostridae. They breed in temperate Europe and western and Central Asia. It is a migratory species and most winter in Africa or southern Asia... |
Recurvirostra avosetta | Very rare vagrant, LC |
Jacanas
Order: CharadriiformesCharadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Jacanidae
The jacana
Jacana
The jaçanas are a group of tropical waders in the family Jacanidae. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone. See Etymology below for pronunciation....
s are a group of tropical waders in the family Jacanidae. They are found worldwide in the Tropics. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat. There 8 species worldwide and one species which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar Jacana Madagascar Jacana The Madagascar Jacana is a species of bird in the Jacanidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 28 July 2007.... * |
Actophilornis albinucha |
Sandpipers and allies
Order: CharadriiformesCharadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae
The sandpipers are a large family, Scolopacidae, of waders or shorebirds. They include many species called sandpipers, as well as those called by names such as curlew and snipe. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil...
The Scolopacidae are a large diverse family of small to medium sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlew
Curlew
The curlews , genus Numenius, are a group of eight species of birds, characterised by long, slender, downcurved bills and mottled brown plumage. They are one of the most ancient lineages of scolopacid waders, together with the godwits which look similar but have straight bills...
s, godwit
Godwit
The godwits are a group of large, long-billed, long-legged and strongly migratory wading birds of the genus Limosa. They form large flocks on coasts and estuaries in winter....
s, shanks
Tringa
Tringa is a genus of waders, containing the shanks and tattlers. They are mainly freshwater birds, often with brightly coloured legs as reflected in the English names of six species, as well as the specific names of two of these and the Green Sandpiper. They are typically associated with northern...
, tattler
Tattler (bird)
The tattlers are the two very similar bird species in the shorebird genus Tringa. They formerly had their own genus, Heteroscelus. The old genus name means "different leg" in Greek, referring to the leg scales that differentiate the tattlers from their close relatives, the shanks.The species are:*...
s, woodcock
Woodcock
The woodcocks are a group of seven or eight very similar living species of wading birds in the genus Scolopax. Only two woodcocks are widespread, the others being localized island endemics. Most are found in the Northern Hemisphere but a few range into Wallacea...
s, snipe
Snipe
A snipe is any of about 25 wading bird species in three genera in the family Scolopacidae. They are characterized by a very long, slender bill and crypsis plumage. The Gallinago snipes have a nearly worldwide distribution, the Lymnocryptes Jack Snipe is restricted to Asia and Europe and the...
s, dowitcher
Dowitcher
The three dowitchers are medium-sized long-billed wading birds. They resemble godwits in body and bill shape, and the reddish underparts in summer, but are much shorter legged, more like snipe to which they are also somewhat closer related...
s and phalarope
Phalarope
A phalarope or wadepiper is any of three living species of slender-necked shorebirds in the genus Phalaropus of the bird family Scolopacidae. They are close relatives of the shanks and tattlers, the Actitis and Terek Sandpipers, and also of the turnstones and calidrids...
s. The majority of species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enable different species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. There are 89 species worldwide and 17 species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar Snipe Madagascar Snipe The Madagascar Snipe, Gallinago macrodactyla, is a small stocky wader. It breeds only in the humid eastern half of Madagascar, from sea-level up to 2,700 m, being more common above 700 m. It is non-migratory.-Description:... * |
Gallinago macrodactyla | |
| Black-tailed Godwit Black-tailed Godwit The Black-tailed Godwit, Limosa limosa, is a large, long-legged, long-billed shorebird first described by Carolus Linnaeus in 1758. It is a member of the Limosa genus, the godwits... |
Limosa limosa | |
| Bar-tailed Godwit Bar-tailed Godwit The Bar-tailed Godwit is a large wader in the family Scolopacidae, which breeds on Arctic coasts and tundra mainly in the Old World, and winters on coasts in temperate and tropical regions of the Old World... |
Limosa lapponica | |
| Whimbrel Whimbrel The Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus, is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is one of the mostwidespread of the curlews, breeding across much of subarctic North America, Europe and Asia as far south as Scotland.... |
Numenius phaeopus | |
| Eurasian Curlew Eurasian Curlew The Eurasian Curlew, Numenius arquata, is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across temperate Europe and Asia... |
Numenius arquata | |
| Marsh Sandpiper Marsh Sandpiper The Marsh Sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis, is a small wader. It is a rather small shank, and breeds in open grassy steppe and taiga wetlands from easternmost Europe to central Asia.... |
Tringa stagnatilis | |
| Common Greenshank | Tringa nebularia | |
| Green Sandpiper Green Sandpiper The Green Sandpiper is a small wader of the Old World. It represents an ancient lineage of the genus Tringa; its only close living relative is the Solitary Sandpiper . They both have brown wings with little light dots and a delicate but contrasting neck and chest pattern... |
Tringa ochropus | |
| Wood Sandpiper Wood Sandpiper The Wood Sandpiper, Tringa glareola, is a small wader. This Eurasian species is the smallest of the shanks, which are mid-sized long-legged waders of the family Scolopacidae.- Description and systematics :... |
Tringa glareola | |
| Terek Sandpiper Terek Sandpiper The Terek Sandpiper is a small migratory Palearctic wader species, the only member of the genus Xenus.- Description and systematics :... |
Xenus cinereus | |
| Common Sandpiper Common Sandpiper The Common Sandpiper is a small Palearctic wader. This bird and its American sister species, the Spotted Sandpiper , make up the genus Actitis. They are parapatric and replace each other geographically; stray birds of either species may settle down with breeders of the other and hybridize... |
Actitis hypoleucos | |
| Ruddy Turnstone Ruddy Turnstone The Ruddy Turnstone is a small wading bird, one of two species of turnstone in the genus Arenaria. It is now classified in the sandpiper family Scolopacidae but was formerly sometimes placed in the plover family Charadriidae... |
Arenaria interpres | |
| Sanderling Sanderling The Sanderling is a small wader. It is a circumpolar Arctic breeder, and is a long-distance migrant, wintering south to South America, South Europe, Africa, and Australia... |
Calidris alba | |
| Little Stint Little Stint The Little Stint, Calidris minuta , is a very small wader. It breeds in arctic Europe and Asia, and is a long-distance migrant, wintering south to Africa and south Asia... |
Calidris minuta | |
| Curlew Sandpiper Curlew Sandpiper The Curlew Sandpiper is a small wader that breeds on the tundra of Arctic Siberia. It is strongly migratory, wintering mainly in Africa, but also in south and southeast Asia and in Australasia... |
Calidris ferruginea | |
| Ruff | Philomachus pugnax |
Buttonquails
Order: GruiformesGruiformes
The Gruiformes are an order containing a considerable number of living and extinct bird families, with a widespread geographical diversity. Gruiform means "crane-like"....
. Family: Turnicidae
The buttonquails are small, drab, running birds which resemble the true quails.The female is the brighter of the sexes, and initiates courtship. The male incubates the eggs and tends the young. There are 16 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar Buttonquail Madagascar Buttonquail The Madagascar Buttonquail is a species of bird in the buttonquail family Turnicidae.It is endemic to Madagascar.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007.... * |
Turnix nigricollis | Common resident, LC |
Pratincoles
Order: CharadriiformesCharadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Glareolidae
Glareolidae
Glareolidae is a family of birds in the wader suborder Charadri. It contains two distinct groups, the pratincoles and the coursers. The coursers include the atypical Egyptian Plover, Pluvianus aegyptius, which has sometimes been placed in its own family...
Glareolidae is a family of wading birds comprising the pratincole
Pratincole
The Pratincoles or Greywaders are a group of birds which together with the coursers and Egyptian Plover make up the family Glareolidae. They have short legs, very long pointed wings and long forked tails....
s, which have short legs, long pointed wings and long forked tails, and the courser
Courser
The Coursers are a group of birds which together with the pratincoles make up the family Glareolidae. They have long legs, short wings and long pointed bills which curve downwards...
s, which have long legs, short wings and long pointed bills which curve downwards. There are 17 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar Pratincole Madagascar Pratincole The Madagascar Pratincole is a species of bird in the Glareolidae family.It is found in Comoros, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Somalia, Tanzania, possibly Mauritius, and possibly Réunion.... |
Glareola ocularis |
Painted snipe
Order: CharadriiformesCharadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Rostratulidae
Painted snipe are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the true snipes, but more brightly coloured. There are 2 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Painted-snipe | Rostratula benghalensis |
Gulls
Order: CharadriiformesCharadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Laridae
Laridae is a family of medium to large birds seabirds and includes gull
Gull
Gulls are birds in the family Laridae. They are most closely related to the terns and only distantly related to auks, skimmers, and more distantly to the waders...
s and kittiwake
Kittiwake
The kittiwakes are two closely related seabird species in the gull family Laridae, the Black-legged Kittiwake and the Red-legged Kittiwake . The epithets "Black-legged" and "Red-legged" are used to distinguish the two species in North America, but in Europe, where R...
s. They are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. There are 55 species worldwide and two species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Kelp Gull Kelp Gull The Kelp Gull , also known as the Dominican Gull, breeds on coasts and islands through much of the southern hemisphere. The race L. d. vetula occurs around southern Africa, and nominate L. d... |
Larus dominicanus | |
| Gray-headed Gull | Larus cirrocephalus |
Terns
Order: CharadriiformesCharadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Sternidae
Tern
Tern
Terns are seabirds in the family Sternidae, previously considered a subfamily of the gull family Laridae . They form a lineage with the gulls and skimmers which in turn is related to skuas and auks...
s are a group of generally general medium to large seabirds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species now known to live in excess of 25 to 30 years. There are 44 species worldwide and 18 species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Gull-billed Tern Gull-billed Tern The Gull-billed Tern formerly Sterna nilotica , is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae... |
Sterna nilotica | |
| Caspian Tern Caspian Tern The Caspian Tern is a species of tern, with a subcosmopolitan but scattered distribution. Despite its extensive range, it is monotypic of its genus, and has no subspecies accepted either... |
Sterna caspia | |
| Greater Crested Tern Greater Crested Tern The Greater Crested Tern , also called Crested Tern or Swift Tern, is a seabird in the tern family which nests in dense colonies on coastlines and islands in the tropical and subtropical Old World... |
Sterna bergii | |
| Lesser Crested Tern Lesser Crested Tern The Lesser Crested Tern is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae... |
Sterna bengalensis | |
| Sandwich Tern | Sterna sandvicensis | |
| Black-naped Tern Black-naped Tern The Black-naped Tern is an oceanic tern mostly found in tropical and subtropical areas of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is rarely found inland.... |
Sterna sumatrana | |
| Roseate Tern Roseate Tern The Roseate Tern is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This bird has a number of geographical races, differing mainly in bill colour and minor plumage details.... |
Sterna dougallii | |
| Common Tern Common Tern The Common Tern is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This bird has a circumpolar distribution, breeding in temperate and sub-Arctic regions of Europe, Asia and east and central North America. It is strongly migratory, wintering in coastal tropical and subtropical regions. It is sometimes... |
Sterna hirundo | |
| Bridled Tern Bridled Tern The Bridled Tern is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. It is a bird of the tropical oceans.-Description:... |
Sterna anaethetus | |
| Sooty Tern Sooty Tern The Sooty Tern, Onychoprion fuscatus , is a seabird of the tern family . It is a bird of the tropical oceans, breeding on islands throughout the equatorial zone. Colloquially, it is known as the Wideawake Tern or just wideawake... |
Sterna fuscata | |
| Saunders's Tern Saunders's Tern The Saunders's Tern is a species of tern in the Sternidae family.It is found in Bahrain, Iran, Israel, Kenya, Madagascar, Pakistan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.-References:... |
Sterna saundersi | |
| Damara Tern Damara Tern The Damara Tern is a species of tern in the Sternidae family.It breeds in western South Africa, Namibia and Angola... |
Sterna balaenarum | |
| Whiskered Tern Whiskered Tern The Whiskered Tern is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This bird has a number of geographical races, differing mainly in size and minor plumage details.... |
Chlidonias hybridus | |
| Black Tern Black Tern The Black Tern, Chlidonias niger, is a small tern generally found in or near inland water in Europe and North America. As its name suggests, it has predominantly dark plumage.- Description :... |
Chlidonias niger | |
| White-winged Tern White-winged Tern The White-winged Tern, or White-winged Black Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus, is a small tern generally found in or near bodies of fresh water across from Southeastern Europe east to Australia.... |
Chlidonias leucopterus | |
| Brown Noddy Brown Noddy The Brown Noddy or Common Noddy is a seabird from the tern family. The largest of the noddies, it can be told from the closely related Black Noddy by its larger size and plumage, which is dark brown rather than black... |
Anous stolidus | |
| Lesser Noddy Lesser Noddy The Lesser Noddy , also known as the Sooty Noddy, is a species of tern in the Sternidae family.It is found in Comoros, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritius, Seychelles, South Africa, and United Arab Emirates.- References :... |
Anous tenuirostris | |
| White Tern White Tern The White Tern is a small seabird found across the tropical oceans of the world. It is sometimes known as the Fairy Tern although this name is potentially confusing as it is the common name of the Fairy Tern Sternula nereis... |
Gygis alba |
Skuas
Order: CharadriiformesCharadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Stercorariidae
The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with grey or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They nest on the ground in temperate and arctic regions and are long-distance migrants. There are 7 species worldwide and 3 species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Brown Skua Brown Skua The Brown Skua , also known as the Antarctic Skua, Southern Great Skua, Southern Skua, or Hākoakoa , is a large seabird that breeds in the subantarctic and Antarctic zones and moves further north when not breeding... |
Stercorarius antarctica | |
| Pomarine Skua Pomarine Skua The Pomarine Skua, Stercorarius pomarinus, known as Pomarine Jaeger in North America, is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. It is a migrant, wintering at sea in the tropical oceans.- Taxonomy :... |
Sterocorarius pomarinus | |
| Arctic Skua Arctic Skua The Parasitic Jaeger, also known as the Arctic Skua or Parasitic Skua, is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae.... |
Stercorarius parasiticus | |
| Long-tailed Skua Long-tailed Skua The Long-tailed Skua, Stercorarius longicaudus is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae.... |
Stercorarius longicaudus |
Sandgrouse
Order: Pterocliformes. Family: PteroclidaeSandgrouse have small, pigeon like heads and necks, but sturdy compact bodies. They have long pointed wings and sometimes tails and a fast direct flight. Flocks fly to watering holes at dawn and dusk. Their legs are feathered down to the toes. There are 16 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar Sandgrouse Madagascar Sandgrouse The Madagascar Sandgrouse is a species of bird in the Pteroclididae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.... * |
Pterocles personatus | LC |
Pigeons and doves
Order: ColumbiformesColumbiformes
Columbiformes are an avian order that includes the very widespread and successful doves and pigeons, classified in the family Columbidae, and the extinct Dodo and the Rodrigues Solitaire, long classified as a second family Raphidae. 313 species, found worldwide, comprise the Columbiformes order....
. Family: Columbidae
Pigeons and dove
Dove
Pigeons and doves constitute the bird family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, which include some 300 species of near passerines. In general terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably...
s are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere
Cère
The Cère is a long river in south-western France, left tributary of the Dordogne River. Its source is in the south-western Massif Central, near the mountain Plomb du Cantal...
. There are 308 species worldwide and five species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Rock Pigeon Rock Pigeon The Rock Dove or Rock Pigeon, is a member of the bird family Columbidae . In common usage, this bird is often simply referred to as the "pigeon".... % |
Columba livia | |
| Malagasy Turtle Dove | Streptopelia picturata | |
| Namaqua Dove Namaqua Dove The Namaqua Dove is a small pigeon. It is the only species in the genus Oena. .-Description:The Namaqua Dove is a tiny sparrow-sized pigeon, typically 22 cm in length with a 28–33 cm wingspan, and weighing 40g. It has a very long black tapered tail, and the size and shape have led to... |
Oena capensis | |
| Madagascar Green Pigeon | Treron australis | |
| Madagascar Blue Pigeon* | Alectroenas madagascariensis |
Parrots and allies
Order: Psittaciformes. Family: PsittacidaeParrot
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
s are small to large birds with a characteristic curved beak shape. Their upper mandibles have slight mobility in the joint with the skull and the have a generally erect stance. All parrots are zygodactyl, having the four toes on each foot placed two at the front and two back. There are 335 species worldwide and three species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Vasa Parrot Greater Vasa Parrot The Greater Vasa Parrot Coracopsis vasa is one of two species of vasa parrot, the other being the Lesser Vasa Parrot C. nigra. The Greater vasa parrot can be found throughout Madagascar and the Comoros... * |
Coracopsis vasa | |
| Lesser Vasa Parrot Lesser Vasa Parrot The Lesser Vasa Parrot or Black Parrot Coracopsis nigra is a black coloured parrot native to Comoros, Madagascar, Mayotte, and Seychelles. It is one of two species of vasa parrots, the other being the Greater Vasa Parrot C. vasa; although, the subspecies C. n... |
Coracopsis nigra | |
| Grey-headed Lovebird Grey-headed Lovebird The Grey-headed Lovebird or Madagascar Lovebird is a small species of parrot of the lovebird genus. It is a mainly green parrot. The species is sexually dimorphic and only the adult male had a grey upper body. They are native on the island of Madagascar and are the only lovebird species which are... * |
Agapornis canus |
Cuckoos
Cuculiformes
The near passerine bird order Cuculiformes traditionally included three families as below:* Musophagidae - turacos and allies* Cuculidae - cuckoos, coucals, roadrunners and anis* Opisthocomidae - Hoatzin...
. Family: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoo
Cuckoo
The cuckoos are a family, Cuculidae, of near passerine birds. The order Cuculiformes, in addition to the cuckoos, also includes the turacos . Some zoologists and taxonomists have also included the unique Hoatzin in the Cuculiformes, but its taxonomy remains in dispute...
s, roadrunner
Geococcyx
The roadrunners are two species of bird in the genus Geococcyx of the cuckoo family, Cuculidae, native to North and Central America...
s and anis
Ani (bird)
The anis are the three species of near-passerine birds in the genus Crotophaga of the cuckoo family. They are essentially tropical New world birds, although the range of two species just reaches the United States...
. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. Unlike the cuckoo species of the Old World, North American cuckoos are not brood parasites. There are 138 species worldwide and 12 species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Thick-billed Cuckoo Thick-billed Cuckoo The Thick-billed Cuckoo is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Pachycoccyx.... |
Pachycoccyx audeberti | |
| Madagascar Lesser Cuckoo | Cuculus rochii | |
| Giant Coua Giant Coua The Giant Coua is a bird species from the Cuckoo family that is endemic to the dry forests of western and southern Madagascar. It is suggested that Couas probably originated from a particular Asian ground-cuckoo . Genus Coua contains 10 species, more than any other genus in Madagascar... * |
Coua gigas | |
| Coquerel's Coua Coquerel's Coua The Coquerel's Coua is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests.-References:... * |
Coua coquereli | |
| Running Coua Running Coua The Running Coua is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007.... * |
Coua cursor | |
| Red-breasted Coua Red-breasted Coua The Red-breasted Coua is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007.... * |
Coua serriana | |
| Red-fronted Coua Red-fronted Coua The Red-fronted Coua is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:... * |
Coua reynaudii | |
| Red-capped Coua Red-capped Coua The Red-capped Coua is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:... * |
Coua ruficeps | |
| Crested Coua Crested Coua The Crested Coua, Coua cristata, is a medium-sized, approximately 44cm long, greenish-grey coua with grey crest, blue bare orbital skin, rufous breast, brown iris, black bill and legs, white belly and long white-tipped purplish-blue tail feathers. They are very attractive birds.The Crested Coua is... * |
Coua cristata | |
| Verreaux's Coua Verreaux's Coua Verreaux's Coua is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its name commemorates French ornithologist and collector Jules Verreaux.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.... * |
Coua verreauxi | |
| Blue Coua Blue Coua The Blue Coua is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.The bird is a... * |
Coua caerulea | |
| Madagascar Coucal Madagascar Coucal The Malagasy Coucal or Madagascar Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family. It is found in Madagascar, the Comoros and the Seychelles where it occurs on Aldabra and formerly on Assumption Island and Cosmoledo... |
Centropus toulou |
Barn owls
Order: Strigiformes. Family: TytonidaeTytonidae
Barn-owls are one of the two families of owls, the other being the true owls, Strigidae. They are medium to large sized owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long, strong legs with powerful talons...
Barn owl
Barn Owl
The Barn Owl is the most widely distributed species of owl, and one of the most widespread of all birds. It is also referred to as Common Barn Owl, to distinguish it from other species in the barn-owl family Tytonidae. These form one of two main lineages of living owls, the other being the typical...
s are medium to large sized owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons. There are 16 species worldwide and two species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar Red Owl Madagascar Red Owl The Madagascar Red Owl, Tyto soumagnei, is an owl in the barn owl family Tytonidae. It is also known as the Madagascar Grass-owl and Soumange's Owl. It is a rare resident of Madagascar that was virtually unknown from its discovery in 1878 to its rediscovery by researchers from the World Wide Fund... * |
Tyto soumagnei | |
| Barn Owl Barn Owl The Barn Owl is the most widely distributed species of owl, and one of the most widespread of all birds. It is also referred to as Common Barn Owl, to distinguish it from other species in the barn-owl family Tytonidae. These form one of two main lineages of living owls, the other being the typical... |
Tyto alba |
Typical owls
Order: Strigiformes. Family: StrigidaeTypical owl
Typical owl
True owl or Typical owl are one of the two generally accepted families of Owls, the other being the barn owls . The Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy unites the Caprimulgiformes with the owl order; here, the typical owls are a subfamily Strigidae...
s are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk. There are 195 species worldwide and five species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Malagasy Scops-Owl Malagasy Scops-owl The Rainforest Scops Owl , also known as the Malagasy Scops Owl or Madagascar Scops Owl, is a species of owl in the Strigidae family. It is found in a large part of eastern Madagascar, but the exact distribution limits between it and the Torotoroka Scops Owl The Rainforest Scops Owl (Otus rutilus),... * |
Otus rutilus | |
| Torotoroka Scops-Owl Torotoroka Scops-owl The Torotoroka Scops Owl is a species of owl in the Strigidae family. It is found throughout most of western Madagascar, but the exact distribution limits between it and the Rainforest Scops Owl The Torotoroka Scops Owl (Otus madagascariensis) is a species of owl in the Strigidae family. It is... * |
Otus madagascariensis | |
| White-browed Owl | Ninox superciliaris | |
| Madagascar Owl* | Asio madagascariensis | |
| Marsh Owl Marsh Owl The Marsh Owl, Asio capensis, is a species of owl which is a mainly resident breeder in Africa and Madagascar.This species is a part of the larger grouping of owls known as typical owls, Strigidae, which contains most species of owl... |
Asio capensis |
Nightjars
Order: CaprimulgiformesCaprimulgiformes
The Caprimulgiformes is an order of birds that includes a number of birds with global distribution . They are generally insectivorous and nocturnal...
. Family: Caprimulgidae
Nightjar
Nightjar
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal or crepuscular birds with long wings, short legs and very short bills. They are sometimes referred to as goatsuckers from the mistaken belief that they suck milk from goats . Some New World species are named as nighthawks...
s are medium-sized nocturnal birds with long wings, short legs and very short bills that usually nest on the ground. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves. There are 86 species worldwide and two species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Collared Nightjar Collared Nightjar The Collared Nightjar is a species of nightjar in the Caprimulgidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.... * |
Caprimulgus enarratus | |
| Madagascar Nightjar Madagascar Nightjar The Madagascar Nightjar is a species of nightjar in the Caprimulgidae family.It is found in Comoros, Madagascar, Mayotte, and Seychelles.... |
Caprimulgus madagascariensis |
Swifts
Apodiformes
Traditionally, the bird order Apodiformes contained three living families: the swifts , the tree swifts , and the hummingbirds . In the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy, this order is raised to a superorder Apodimorphae in which hummingbirds are separated as a new order, Trochiliformes...
. Family: Apodidae
Swift
Swift
The swifts are a family, Apodidae, of highly aerial birds. They are superficially similar to swallows, but are actually not closely related to passerine species at all; swifts are in the separate order Apodiformes, which they share with hummingbirds...
s are small aerial birds, spending the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings that resemble a crescent or a boomerang. There are 98 species worldwide and six species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Malagasy Spinetail Malagasy Spinetail The Madagascar Spinetail or Malagasy Spinetail is a species of swift in the Apodidae family.It is found in Comoros, Madagascar, and Mayotte.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007.... |
Zoonavena grandidieri | Widespread resident, LC |
| African Palm Swift African Palm Swift The African Palm Swift is a small swift. It is very similar to the Asian Palm Swift, Cypsiurus balasiensis, and was formerly considered to be the same species.... |
Cypsiurus parvus | Widespread resident, LC |
| Alpine Swift Alpine Swift The Alpine Swift syn. is a species of Swift. The bird is superficially similar to a large Barn Swallow or House Martin. It is, however, completely unrelated to those passerine species, since swifts are in the order Apodiformes... |
Tachymarptis melba | Widespread resident, LC |
| Little Swift Little Swift The Little Swift , is a small bird, superficially similar to a Barn Swallow or House Martin. It is, however, completely unrelated to those passerine species, since swifts are in the order Apodiformes. The resemblances between the groups are due to convergent evolution reflecting similar life styles... |
Apus affinis | Recent colonist, LC |
| Madagascar Swift Madagascar Swift The Madagascar Swift is a species of swift in the Apodidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-References:... |
Apus balstoni | Widespread resident, LC |
Kingfishers
Order: CoraciiformesCoraciiformes
The Coraciiformes are a group of usually colorful near passerine birds including the kingfishers, the Hoopoe, the bee-eaters, the rollers, and the hornbills...
. Family: Alcedinidae
Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. There are 93 species worldwide and two species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Malagasy Kingfisher | Alcedo vintsioides | Common resident, LC |
| Madagascar Pygmy-Kingfisher Madagascar Pygmy-kingfisher The Madagascar Pygmy Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar and found in western dry deciduous forests.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007.... * |
Ispidina madagascariensis | Common resident, LC |
Bee-eaters
Order: CoraciiformesCoraciiformes
The Coraciiformes are a group of usually colorful near passerine birds including the kingfishers, the Hoopoe, the bee-eaters, the rollers, and the hornbills...
. Family: Meropidae
The bee-eaters are a group of near passerine
Near passerine
Near passerine or higher land-bird assemblage are terms often given to arboreal birds or those most often believed to be related to the true passerines due to ecological similarities; the group corresponds to some extent with the Anomalogonatae of Garrod All near passerines are land birds...
birds in the family Meropidae. Most species are found in Africa but others occur in southern Europe, Madagascar, Australia and New Guinea. They are characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies and usually elongated central tail feathers. All are colorful and have long downturned bills and pointed wings, which give them a swallow-like appearance when seen from afar. There are 26 species worldwide and two species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar Bee-eater Madagascar Bee-eater The Olive Bee-eater, is a near passerine bee-eater species in the genus Merops.-References: Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern... |
Merops superciliosus | |
| European Bee-eater European Bee-eater The European Bee-eater, Merops apiaster, is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family Meropidae. It breeds in southern Europe and in parts of north Africa and western Asia. It is strongly migratory, wintering in tropical Africa, India and Sri Lanka... |
Merops apiaster | Single vagrant record, LC |
Typical rollers
Order: CoraciiformesCoraciiformes
The Coraciiformes are a group of usually colorful near passerine birds including the kingfishers, the Hoopoe, the bee-eaters, the rollers, and the hornbills...
. Family: Coraciidae
Rollers resemble crow
Crow
Crows form the genus Corvus in the family Corvidae. Ranging in size from the relatively small pigeon-size jackdaws to the Common Raven of the Holarctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia, the 40 or so members of this genus occur on all temperate continents and several...
s in size and build, but are more closely related to the kingfisher
Kingfisher
Kingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia...
s and bee-eater
Bee-eater
The bee-eaters are a group of near-passerine birds in the family Meropidae. Most species are found in Africa and Asia but others occur in southern Europe, Australia, and New Guinea. They are characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies, and usually elongated central tail feathers...
s. They share the colourful appearance of those groups with blues and browns predominating. The two inner front toes are connected, but the outer toe is not. There are 12 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Broad-billed Roller Broad-billed Roller The Broad-billed Roller, Eurystomus glaucurus, is a member of the roller family of birds which breeds across tropical Africa and Madagascar in all but the driest regions. It is a wet season breeder, which migrates from the northern and southern areas of its range towards the moister equatorial... |
Eurystomus glaucurus |
Ground-rollers
Coraciiformes
The Coraciiformes are a group of usually colorful near passerine birds including the kingfishers, the Hoopoe, the bee-eaters, the rollers, and the hornbills...
. Family: Brachypteraciidae
The ground-roller are a small family of non-migratory
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
near-passerine bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s. They resemble the true roller
Roller
The rollers are an Old World family, Coraciidae, of near passerine birds. The group gets its name from the aerial acrobatics some of these birds perform during courtship or territorial flights. Rollers resemble crows in size and build, and share the colourful appearance of kingfishers and...
s. All five species are found only in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Short-legged Ground-roller Short-legged Ground-roller The Short-legged Ground Roller is a species of bird in the Brachypteraciidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.It is threatened by habitat loss.... * |
Brachypteracias leptosomus | Resident, VU |
| Scaly Ground-roller Scaly Ground-roller The Scaly Ground Roller is a species of bird in the Brachypteraciidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:... * |
Brachypteracias squamigera | Resident, VU |
| Pitta-like Ground-roller Pitta-like Ground-roller The Pitta-like Ground Roller is a species of bird in the Brachypteraciidae family. It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.... * |
Atelornis pittoides | Resident, NT |
| Rufous-headed Ground-roller Rufous-headed Ground-roller The Rufous-headed Ground Roller is a species of bird in the Brachypteraciidae family. It is endemic to Madagascar.-Source:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 19 September 2007.... * |
Atelornis crossleyi | Resident, VU |
| Long-tailed Ground-roller Long-tailed Ground-roller The Long-tailed Ground Roller is a species of bird in the family Brachypteraciidae, and is placed in the monotypic genus Uratelornis. This bird is endemic to arid spiny forests near the coast in southwestern Madagascar. It occurs in extremely low population densities throughout its habitat... * |
Uratelornis chimaera | Resident, VU |
Cuckoo-roller
Coraciiformes
The Coraciiformes are a group of usually colorful near passerine birds including the kingfishers, the Hoopoe, the bee-eaters, the rollers, and the hornbills...
. Family: Leptosomatidae
The Cuckoo-roller is an insectivorous medium-sized bird of the forests of Madagascar and the Comoros. Unlike the true rollers and ground rollers, where the sexes have identical appearance, the male and female Cuckoo Roller have distinctive plumages. Males are mostly velvety grey. The back, tail, and wings are dark shiny green. They have a black eyestripe. Females and young birds are mostly brown marked with darker streaks. One species occurs on Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Cuckoo-roller Cuckoo-roller The Cuckoo Roller is the only bird in the family Leptosomatidae, which is usually considered to be within the order Coraciiformes, which also includes the kingfishers, bee-eaters and rollers. However, the position of this family is not very clear. Morphological evidence may suggest a placement... |
Leptosomus discolor |
Hoopoes
Order: CoraciiformesCoraciiformes
The Coraciiformes are a group of usually colorful near passerine birds including the kingfishers, the Hoopoe, the bee-eaters, the rollers, and the hornbills...
. Family: Upupidae
Hoopoes have black, white and orangey-pink colouring with a large erectile crest on their head. There are 2 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar Hoopoe Madagascar Hoopoe The Madagascar Hoopoe is a subspecies of Hoopoe in the Upupidae family. It is often considered to be treated as a separate species to the Hoopoe due to its vocalisations and small differences in plumage, but is otherwise similar to the rest of the species.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural... |
Upupa marginata |
Asities
Order: Passeriformes. Family: PhilepittidaeAsity
The asities, are a family, the Philepittidae, of small suboscine passerine birds. The family consists of four species in two genera endemic to Madagascar. They were thought to have been related to the pittas, hence the scientific name of the family, but a 1993 study suggested that they are actually...
The asities are small plump bird, which are likely to be related to the broadbill
Broadbill
The broadbills are a family of small passerine birds, Eurylaimidae. The Smithornis and Pseudocalyptomena species occur in sub-Saharan Africa; the rest extend from the eastern Himalayas to Sumatra and Borneo. The family possibly also includes the Sapayoa from the Neotropics and the asities from...
s. All four species are found only in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Velvet Asity Velvet Asity The Velvet Asity, Philepitta castanea, is a species of bird in the Philepittidae family. It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:... * |
Philepitta castanea | |
| Schlegel's Asity Schlegel's Asity The Schlegel's Asity is a species of bird in the Philepittidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.... * |
Philepitta schlegeli | |
| Common Sunbird-asity Common Sunbird-asity The Common Sunbird-asity or Sunbird Asity, Neodrepanis coruscans, is a species of bird in the Philepittidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.- References :... * |
Neodrepanis coruscans | |
| Yellow-bellied Sunbird-asity Yellow-bellied Sunbird-asity The Yellow-bellied Sunbird-asity, Neodrepanis hypoxantha, is a small species of bird from the asity family. The species is endemic to montane forest above 1600 m on the island of Madagascar. The species is sometimes known simply as the Yellow-bellied Asity... * |
Neodrepanis hypoxanthus |
Wattle-eyes
Order: Passeriformes. Family: PlatysteiridaeThe wattle-eyes or puffback flycatchers are small stout passerine birds of the African tropics. They get their name from the brightly coloured fleshy eye decorations found in most species in this group. There are 31 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Ward's Flycatcher Ward's Flycatcher The Ward's Flycatcher , also known as Ward's Flycatcher-vanga is a species of bird in the Vangidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Pseudobias. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . ... * |
Pseudobias wardi | Range-restricted resident, NT |
Vangas
Order: Passeriformes. Family: VangidaeShrike
Shrikes are passerine birds of the family Laniidae. The family is composed of thirty-one species in three genera. The family name, and that of the largest genus, Lanius, is derived from the Latin word for "butcher", and some shrikes were also known as "butcher birds" because of their feeding habits...
-like, arboreal forest birds, feeding on reptiles, frogs and insects. There are 15 species.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Red-tailed Vanga Red-tailed Vanga The Red-tailed Vanga is a species of bird in the Vangidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:... * |
Calicalicus madagascariensis | Fairly common resident, LC |
| Red-shouldered Vanga Red-shouldered Vanga The Red-shouldered Vanga is a member of the vanga family endemic to south-west Madagascar.This species is notable for being the last species viewed by internationally renowned bird watcher Phoebe Snetsinger before her 1999 death in Madagascar.-Description:Like many of the vangas, this species is... * |
Calicalicus rufocarpalis | Uncommon resident, VU |
| Rufous Vanga Rufous Vanga The Rufous Vanga is a species of bird in the Vangidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Schetba. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . ... * |
Schetba rufa | |
| Hook-billed Vanga Hook-billed Vanga The Hook-billed Vanga is a species of bird in the Vangidae family. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. ... * |
Vanga curvirostris | |
| Lafresnaye's Vanga Lafresnaye's Vanga The Lafresnaye's Vanga is a species of bird in the Vangidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.-References:... * |
Xenopirostris xenopirostris | |
| Pollen's Vanga Pollen's Vanga The Pollen's Vanga is a species of bird in the Vangidae family. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . ... * |
Xenopirostris polleni | |
| Van Dam's Vanga Van Dam's Vanga The Van Dam's Vanga is a species of bird in the Vangidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests.It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:... * |
Xenopirostris damii | |
| Sickle-billed Vanga Sickle-billed Vanga The Sickle-billed Vanga is a species of bird in the vanga family Vangidae. It is monotypic within the genus Falculea. It is endemic to Madagascar... * |
Falculea palliata | |
| White-headed Vanga White-headed Vanga The White-headed Vanga is a species of bird in the Vangidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Artamella. It is endemic to Madagascar.... * |
Artamella viridis | |
| Chabert's Vanga Chabert's Vanga The Chabert Vanga , also erroneously called "Chabert's Vanga", is a species of bird in the Vangidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Leptopterus. It is endemic to Madagascar... * |
Leptopterus chabert | |
| Blue Vanga Blue Vanga The Blue Vanga is a bird species in the family Vangidae. It is in the monotypic genus Cyanolanius. The taxon comorensis, by most authorities considered a subspecies of the Blue Vanga, has occasionally been considered a separate species, the Comoro Blue Vanga .It is found in Comoros, Madagascar, and... * |
Cyanolanius madagascarinus | |
| Bernier's Vanga Bernier's Vanga The Bernier's Vanga is a bird species in the family Vangidae. It is in the monotypic genus Oriolia. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 26... * |
Oriolia bernieri | |
| Helmet Vanga Helmet Vanga The Helmet VangaEuryceros prevostii is a distinctive-looking bird of the vanga family, Vangidae, and is classified in its own genus Euryceros. It is mainly blue-black in colour, with rufous wings and a huge arched blue bill. It is restricted to lowland and lower montane rainforests of northeastern... * |
Euryceros prevostii | |
| Nuthatch Vanga Nuthatch Vanga The Nuthatch Vanga , also known as the Coral-billed Nuthatch-vanga and formerly as the Coral-billed Nuthatch, is a species of bird in the Vangidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.... * |
Hypositta corallirostris | |
| Tylas Vanga Tylas Vanga The Tylas Vanga is a species of bird in the Vangidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Tylas. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . ... * |
Tylas eduardi |
Cuckoo-shrikes
Order: Passeriformes. Family: CampephagidaeThe cuckoo-shrikes are small to medium-sized passerine birds. They are predominantly greyish with white and black, although some species are brightly coloured. There are 82 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Ashy Cuckoo-shrike Ashy Cuckoo-shrike The Madagascar Cuckooshrike , also known as the Ashy Cuckooshrike, is a species of bird in the Campephagidae family... |
Coracina cinerea |
Old World orioles
Order: Passeriformes. Family: OriolidaeThe Old World Orioles are colourful passerine birds. They are not related to the New World orioles. There are 29 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Eurasian Golden Oriole | Oriolus oriolus |
Drongos
Order: Passeriformes. Family: DicruridaeThe drongos are mostly are black or dark grey in colour, sometimes with metallic tints. They have long forked tails, and some Asian species have elaborate tail decorations. They have short legs and sit very upright whilst perched, like a shrike. They flycatch or take prey from the ground. There are 24 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Crested Drongo Crested Drongo The Crested Drongo is a species of bird in the Dicruridae family.It is found in Comoros, Madagascar, and Mayotte.... |
Dicrurus forficatus | Common resident, LC |
Monarch flycatchers
The monarch flycatchers are small to medium-sized insectivorous passerines, which hunt by flycatching. There are 99 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar Paradise Flycatcher | Terpsiphone mutata | Common resident, LC |
Crows
Corvidae
Corvidae is a cosmopolitan family of oscine passerine birds that contains the crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, jays, magpies, treepies, choughs and nutcrackers. The common English names used are corvids or the crow family , and there are over 120 species...
The Corvidae family includes crow
Crow
Crows form the genus Corvus in the family Corvidae. Ranging in size from the relatively small pigeon-size jackdaws to the Common Raven of the Holarctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia, the 40 or so members of this genus occur on all temperate continents and several...
s, raven
Raven
Raven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied...
s, jay
Jay
The jays are several species of medium-sized, usually colorful and noisy, passerine birds in the crow family Corvidae. The names jay and magpie are somewhat interchangeable, and the evolutionary relationships are rather complex...
s, chough
Chough
The Red-billed Chough or Chough , Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, is a bird in the crow family; it is one of only two species in the genus Pyrrhocorax...
s, magpie
Magpie
Magpies are passerine birds of the crow family, Corvidae.In Europe, "magpie" is often used by English speakers as a synonym for the European Magpie, as there are no other magpies in Europe outside Iberia...
s, treepie
Treepie
The treepies comprise four closely related genera of long-tailed passerine birds in the family Corvidae...
s, nutcracker
Nutcracker (bird)
The nutcrackers are a genus of two species of passerine bird, in the family Corvidae, related to the jays and crows. One, the Spotted Nutcracker , occurs in Europe and Asia, the other, Clark's Nutcracker , in western North America.The most important food resources for both these species are the...
s, and ground jay
Ground jay
The ground jays or ground choughs belong to a distinct group of the passerine order of birds in the genus Podoces of the crow family Corvidae...
s. Corvids are above average in size for the bird order Passeriformes. Some of the larger species show high levels of learning behavior. There are 120 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Pied Crow Pied Crow The Pied Crow is a widely distributed African bird species in the crow genus.Structurally, the Pied Crow is better thought of as a small crow-sized Raven, especially as it can hybridise with the Somali Crow where their ranges meet in the Horn of Africa... |
Corvus albus | Common resident, LC |
Larks
Order: Passeriformes. Family: AlaudidaeLarks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. Most larks are fairly dull in appearance. Their food is insects and seeds. There are 91 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar Lark Madagascar Lark The Madagascar Lark is a species of lark endemic to Madagascar in the Alaudidae family.- Range and population :The range of the Madagascar Lark is large, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence between 100,000 and 1,000,000 km2.- Habitat :Its natural habitats are dry savanna and... * |
Mirafra hova |
Swallows and martins
Order: Passeriformes. Family: HirundinidaeThe Hirundinidae family is a group of passerines characterized by their adaptation to aerial feeding. Their adaptations include a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and short bills with wide gape. The feet are designed for perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base. There are 75 species worldwide and four species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Mascarene Martin Mascarene Martin The Mascarene Martin is a species of bird in the Hirundinidae family.It is found in Comoros, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Réunion, Seychelles, and Tanzania.-References:... |
Phedina borbonica | |
| Sand Martin Sand Martin The Sand Martin is a migratory passerine bird in the swallow family. It has a wide range in summer, embracing practically the whole of Europe and the Mediterranean countries, part of northern Asia and also North America. It winters in eastern and southern Africa, South America and South Asia... |
Riparia riparia | |
| Brown-throated Sand Martin Brown-throated Sand Martin The Brown-throated Sand Martin, Brown-throated Martin or Plain Martin, Riparia paludicola, is a small passerine bird in the swallow family... |
Riparia paludicola | |
| Barn Swallow Barn Swallow The Barn Swallow is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. It is a distinctive passerine bird with blue upperparts, a long, deeply forked tail and curved, pointed wings. It is found in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas... |
Hirundo rustica |
Bulbuls
Bulbuls are medium-sized songbirds. Some are colourful with yellow, red or orange vents, cheeks, throat or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive brown to black plumage. Some species have distinct crests.There are 130 species worldwide and six species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Long-billed Greenbul* | Phyllastrephus madagascariensis | |
| Spectacled Greenbul Spectacled Greenbul The Spectacled Tetraka is a species of Malagasy warbler in the Bernieridae family. It is found only in Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:... * |
Phyllastrephus zosterops | |
| Appert's Greenbul Appert's Tetraka Appert's Tetraka or Appert's Greenbul is a small passerine bird endemic to the south-west of Madagascar. The species was only described in 1972, and has been the subject of considerable taxonomic confusion. It was initially placed in the greenbul genus Phyllastrephus, and later with the Old World... * |
Phyllastrephus apperti | |
| Dusky Greenbul Dusky Greenbul The Dusky Tetraka is a species of Old World warbler in the Bernieridae family. It is found only in Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.... * |
Phyllastrephus tenebrosus | |
| Gray-crowned Greenbul* | Phyllastrephus cinereiceps | |
| Madagascar Bulbul Madagascar Bulbul The Malagasy Bulbul , also known as the Madagascar Bulbul, is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family. It is found on the Comoros, Madagascar, Mayotte, and the Seychelles.-References:... |
Hypsipetes madagascariensis |
Cisticolas
Order: Passeriformes. Family: CisticolidaeCisticolidae
The Cisticolidae family of small passerine birds is a group of about 110 warblers found mainly in warmer southern regions of the Old World. They are often included within the Old World warbler family Sylviidae....
The Cisticolidae are warblers found mainly in warmer southern regions of the Old World. They are generally very small birds of drab brown or grey appearance found in open country such as grassland or scrub. There are 111 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar Cisticola Madagascar Cisticola The Madagascar Cisticola is a species of bird in the cisticola family . It forms a superspecies with the closely related Zitting Cisticola and the Socotra Cisticola.... |
Cisticola cherinus |
Old World warblers
Order: Passeriformes. Family: SylviidaeSylviidae
Sylviidae is a family of passerine birds that was part of an assemblage known as the Old World warblers. The family was formerly a wastebin taxon with over 400 species of bird in over 70 genera. The family was poorly defined with many characteristics shared with other families...
The family Sylviidae is a group of small insectivorous passerine birds. The Sylviidae mainly occur as breeding species, as the common name implies, in Europe, Asia and, to a lesser extent Africa. Most are of generally undistinguished appearance, but many have distinctive songs. There are 291 species worldwide and 11 species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Brown Emu-tail Brown Emu-tail The Brown Emu-Tail is a species of Old World warbler in the Megaluridae family.It is found only in Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:... * |
Dromaeocercus brunneus | |
| Grey Emu-tail Grey Emu-tail The Grey Emu-Tail , also known as the Madagascan Grassbird or Feather-tailed Warbler, is a species of Old World warbler in the Sylviidae family.It is found only in Madagascar.... * |
Dromaeocercus seebohmi | |
| Madagascar Brush Warbler* | Nesillas typica (E) | |
| Thamnornis* | Thamnornis chloropetoides | |
| Madagascar Swamp Warbler* | Acrocephalus newtoni | |
| Rand's Warbler Rand's Warbler The Rand's Warbler is a species of Old World warbler in the Sylviidae family. It is found only in Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.... * |
Randia pseudozosterops | |
| Dark Newtonia Dark Newtonia The Dark Newtonia is a species of bird in the Vangidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:... * |
Newtonia amphichroa | |
| Common Newtonia Common Newtonia The Common Newtonia is a species of bird in the Vangidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.... * |
Newtonia brunneicauda | |
| Archbold's Newtonia Archbold's Newtonia The Archbold's Newtonia is a species of bird in the Vangidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.-References:... * |
Newtonia archboldi | |
| Red-tailed Newtonia Red-tailed Newtonia The Red-tailed Newtonia is a species of bird in the Vangidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:... * |
Newtonia fanovanae | |
| Cryptic Warbler Cryptic Warbler The Cryptic Warbler is a species of Malagasy warbler in the Bernieriidae family. It was formerly placed in the Old world warbler family Sylviidae. It is endemic to Madagascar.-References:... * |
Cryptosylvicola randriansoloi |
Old World flycatchers
Old World flycatchers are a large group of small passerine birds native to the Old World. They are mainly small arboreal insectivores. The appearance of these birds is very varied, but they mostly have weak songs and harsh calls. There 274 species worldwide, three of which have occurred in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madagascar Magpie Robin* | Copsychus albospecularis | ||
| Northern Wheatear Northern Wheatear The Northern Wheatear or Wheatear is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae... |
Oenanthe oenanthe | Very rare vagrant, LC | |
| African Stonechat African Stonechat The African Stonechat is a species of the Old World flycatcher family , inhabiting sub-Saharan Africa and adjacent regions. Like the other chats, it was long assigned to the thrush family , to which the chats are convergent... |
Saxicola torquata | ||
| Forest Rock-Thrush Forest Rock-thrush The Forest Rock Thrush is a songbird in the family Muscicapidae, formerly placed in the Turdidae together with the other chats. It nowadays usually includes Benson's Rock Thrush as a subspecies M. s. bensoni, while the Amber Mountain Rock-thrush has been raised to distinct species status.It is... * |
Monticola sharpei | ||
| Benson's Rock-Thrush Benson's Rock-thrush Benson's Rock Thrush is a songbird in the family Muscicapidae, formerly placed in the Turdidae together with the other chats. Often considered a distinct species, it is nowadays usually included in the Forest Rock Thrush as a subspecies; e.g... * |
Monticola bensoni | ||
| Littoral Rock-Thrush Littoral Rock-thrush The Littoral Rock Thrush , previously classified as Pseudocossyphus imerinus, is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.-Taxonomy:... * |
Monticola imerinus |
Babblers
Order: Passeriformes. Family: TimaliidaeThe babblers or timaliids are somewhat diverse in size and coloration, but are characterised by soft fluffy plumage. There are 270 species worldwide and 7 species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Common Jery Common Jery The Common Jery is a species of bird in the Cisticolidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:... * |
Neomixis tenella | |
| Green Jery Green Jery The Green Jery is a species of bird in the Cisticolidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:... * |
Neomixis viridis | |
| Stripe-throated Jery Stripe-throated Jery The Stripe-throated Jery is a species of bird in the Cisticolidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.... * |
Neomixis striatigula | |
| Wedge-tailed Jery Wedge-tailed Jery The Wedge-tailed Jery is a small bird endemic to the east of Madagascar. The species has been the cause of some taxonomic confusion, it was originally placed with the jeries in the genus Neomixis before being placed in its own monotypic genus Hartertula, but still considered close to Neomixis... * |
Hartertula flavoviridis | |
| White-throated Oxylabes White-throated Oxylabes The White-throated Oxylabes is a species of passerine once thought to be a species of Old World warbler in the Sylviidae family. It is found only in Madagascar... * |
Oxylabes madagascariensis | |
| Yellow-browed Oxylabes* | Crossleyia xanthophrys | |
| Crossley's Babbler Crossley's Babbler The Crossley's Vanga , also known as Crossley's Babbler-vanga, Crossley's Babbler, or Madagascar Groundjumper, is a bird species in the family Vangidae. It is in the monotypic genus Mystacornis. The species was once placed in the Old World babbler family Timaliidae and its position with the vangas... * |
Mystacornis crossleyi |
Starlings
Order: Passeriformes. Family: SturnidaeStarlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds. Their flight is strong and direct, and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country. They eat insects and fruit. Plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen. There are 125 species worldwide, three of which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Wattled Starling Wattled Starling The Wattled Starling is a nomadic resident in eastern and southern Africa. It is a species of grassland, open woodland and cultivation.... |
Creatophora cinerea | Very rare vagrant, LC |
| Common Myna Common Myna The Common Myna or Indian Myna also sometimes spelled Mynah, is a member of family Sturnidae native to Asia. An omnivorous open woodland bird with a strong territorial instinct, the Myna has adapted extremely well to urban environments... % |
Acridotheres tristis | Common resident, LC |
| Madagascar Starling Madagascar Starling The Madagascar Starling is a species of starling in the Sturnidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . ... * |
Saroglossa aurata | Fairly common resident, LC |
Sunbirds
The sunbirds and spiderhunters are very small passerine birds which feed largely on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. Flight is fast and direct on their short wings. Most species can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird, but usually perch to feed. There are 131 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Souimanga Sunbird Souimanga Sunbird The Souimanga Sunbird is a small passerine bird of the sunbird family, Nectariniidae. It is native to the islands of the western Indian Ocean where it occurs on Madagascar, the Aldabra Group and the Glorioso Islands.... |
Cinnyris sovimanga | |
| Madagascar Sunbird | Cinnyris notatus |
Wagtails
Motacillidae
The Motacillidae are a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. There are around 65 species in 6 genera and they include the wagtails, longclaws and pipits. The longclaws are entirely restricted to the Afrotropics, and the wagtails are predominately found in Europe, Africa and...
The Motacillidae are a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws and pipits. They are slender, ground feeding insectivores of open country. There are 54 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar Wagtail Madagascar Wagtail The Madagascar Wagtail is a species of bird in the Motacillidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland and rivers.-References:... * |
Motacilla flaviventris |
Sparrows
Order: Passeriformes. Family: PasseridaeSparrow
Sparrow
The sparrows are a family of small passerine birds, Passeridae. They are also known as true sparrows, or Old World sparrows, names also used for a genus of the family, Passer...
s are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small, plump, brown or grey birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed-eaters, and they also consume small insects. There are 35 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| House Sparrow House Sparrow The House Sparrow is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. One of about 25 species in the genus Passer, the House Sparrow occurs naturally in most of Europe, the Mediterranean region, and much of Asia... % |
Passer domesticus |
White-eyes
Order: Passeriformes. Family: ZosteropidaeThe white-eyes are small and are mostly of undistinguished appearance, the plumage above being generally either some dull color like greenish olive, but some species have a white or bright yellow throat, breast or lower parts, and several have buff flanks. As their name suggests many species have a white ring around the eyes. There are 96 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar White-eye | Zosterops maderaspatanus |
Weavers and allies
The weavers are small passerine birds related to the finch
Finch
The true finches are passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. They are predominantly seed-eating songbirds. Most are native to the Northern Hemisphere, but one subfamily is endemic to the Neotropics, one to the Hawaiian Islands, and one subfamily – monotypic at genus level – is found...
es. They are seed-eating birds with rounded conical bills. The males of many species are brightly coloured, usually in red or yellow and black, some species show variation in colour only in the breeding season. There are 116 species worldwide, four of which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Nelicourvi Weaver Nelicourvi Weaver The Nelicourvi Weaver is a species of bird in the Ploceidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:... * |
Ploceus nelicourvi | |
| Sakalava Weaver Sakalava Weaver The Sakalava Weaver is a species of bird in the Ploceidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.-References:... * |
Ploceus sakalava | |
| Madagascar Red Fody* | Foudia madagascariensis | |
| Forest Fody Forest Fody The Forest Fody is a species of bird in the Ploceidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 25 July 2007.... * |
Foudia omissa |
Waxbills and allies
Order: Passeriformes. Family: EstrildidaeThe estrildid finch
Estrildid finch
The estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They can be classified as the family Estrildidae , or as a sub-group within the family Passeridae, which also includes the true sparrows....
es are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
. They are gregarious and often colonial seed-eaters with short thick but pointed bills. They are all similar in structure and habits, but have a wide variation in plumage colours and pattern. There are 141 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Madagascar.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Common Waxbill Common Waxbill The Common Waxbill , also known as the St Helena Waxbill, is a small passerine bird belonging to the estrildid finch family. It is native to sub-Saharan Africa but has been introduced to many other regions of the world and now has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 10,000,000 km²... % |
Estrilda astrild | |
| Madagascar Munia Madagascar Munia The Madagascar Mannikin Lonchura nana is a common species of estrildid finch native to Madagascar. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 100,000 to 1,000,000 km².... * |
Lonchura nana |
See also
- Endemic birds of Madagascar and western Indian Ocean islandsEndemic birds of Madagascar and western Indian Ocean islandsThis article is one of a series providing information about endemism among birds in the World's various zoogeographic zones. For an overview of this subject see Endemism in birds.- Patterns of endemism :...
- List of birds
- Lists of birds by region
External links
- African Bird Club checklist of the birds of Madagascar generates downloadable PDF
- Avibase checklist of the birds of Madagascar