Since a few years, Madagascar has become a privileged destination in ecotourism and wildlife. Madagascar, an enchanting island, an authentic country, which will please you for its diversity and for its welcoming people. Madagascar, one of the best destination in the world for Birdwatching tour lovers and for trekking and hiking tour lovers. Madagascar, a destination off the beaten tracks.

Through tectonic movement, Madagascar has a long separation from neighboring continents, it split from Africa about 160 million years ago, from Antarctica about 120 million years ago and from India around 90 million years ago ; because of this separation, it contains many endemic species. Of the 293 bird species recorded on Madagascar, about 110 are found nowhere else on earth.

In October 2019 I've been with Birdwatching people from Canada
and we've seen more than 100 bird species in 16 days-trip ; 51 bird species of them were endemic to Madagascar.

We have seen THE Cryptic Warbler, Madagascar Brush Warbler, Rand's Warbler & Thamnornis Warbler, Velvet Asity, Crossley's Babbler, Pitta-like Ground-roller & Long-tailed Ground-roller ( in Ifaty ), Subdesert Mesite ( always in Ifaty ), Long-billed Greenbul, Appert's Greenbul & Spectacled Greenbul, Pollen's Vanga, Chabert's Vanga, Lafresnaye's Vanga & Sickle-billed Vanga ( in Ifaty for the three last ones ), a lot of Madagascar Magpie-Robin, Nelicourvi Weaver, different Coua species such as Crested Coua, Giant Coua and Running Coua, Madagascar Bush Lark, Common Jery, Green Jery and Stripe-throated Jery, Madagascar Harrier-Hawk, a lot of Souimanga Sunbird, etc.

With my experiences since ... 1993, you will be satisfied. I'm pleased to organise your trip and to guide you to make your trip pleasing and unforgetable. No one who visits the island is left unaffected either by the warmth and hospitality of the Malagasy people and its nature.

Because of lack of infrastructures in tourism in Madagascar ( number of good rooms, good vehicles, flights, etc. ) it's better to book your trip as soon as possible such as one year before your arrival.

Madagascar Birding Tour through THE BEST places for that
For birdwatching passionate people ; from September till December

West part of Madagascar
Pierrette ( September 2006 ) ©

For the Birdwatching wildlife passionate people :

Quantitatively the bird found in Madagascar is not as rich as those in other countries, but the difference is in its endemicity ( about 110 species ). The most favorable period for observation goes from october to december.

Where are the best sites to observe birds in Madagascar ?

The easiest because of infrastructure facilities are ANDASIBE PERINET - MANTADIA National Parks and RANOMAFANA National Park. The both occur on montane rainforest and on mid-altitude rainforest. You can see there for examples : the Cryptic Warbler, Rufous-headed Ground-roller, Grey-crowned Greenbul, Brown Emutail, etc.

Some Madagascar National Parks to see Endemic birds :

It's easy too to find them at IFATY, AMPIJOROA - ANKARAFANTSIKA, ZOMBITSE and ANDOHAHELA National Parks which occur on southern or western deciduous dry forest. Sometimes it's a spiny forest ( characterised by the cactus-like trees and the Didierea trees ). And sometimes, it's a fairly dense seasonally dry forest where it's difficult to penetrate. You can see there for examples : the Thamnornis Warbler, Subdesert Brush-Warbler, Subdesert Mesite, Verreaux's Coua, Running Coua, Lafresnaye's Vanga, Red-shouldered Vanga, Littoral Rock Thrush, etc. Or the Red-capped and Giant Couas, Coquerel's Coua, Sakalava Weaver, Appert's Greenbul, White-breasted Mesite, Sickle-billed Vanga, Van Dam's Vanga, etc.

Broad-billed Roller & Madagascar Hoopoe
Tsingy of Bemaraha NP & Kirindy

Rufous Vanga & White-browed Owl ©
at Zombitse National Park - 2019
below are the calls of the birds above

Testimony
in Ankarafantsika and Andasibe-Mantadia National Parks

October 2014 with a couple of American tourists who were not really Birdwatching passionate people but who loved nature, who loved lemurs and who loved birds. Together we have seen just in three days ... 40 different species of Birds ; 17 species of them were Endemic to Madagascar. I give you as testimony the list of Birds that we have seen :

List of Birds species seen in Ankarafantsika National Park in October 2014 :

Those endemic to Madagascar :

Grey headed Lovebird • Long billed Greenbul • Crested Coua • Rufous Vanga • White-breasted Mesite • Schlegel's Asity • Magpie Robin • Madagascar Hoopoe • Madagascar lesser Cuckoo • Madagascar red Fody • Sakalava Weaver

Those not endemic to Madagascar :

Cuckoo Roller • Madagascar Paradise Flycatcher • Broad billed Roller • Madagascar Bee Eater • Yellow billed Kite • Pied Crow • Madagascar Coucal • Souimanga Sunbird • Dimorphic Egret • Cattle Egret • Great Egret • Purple Heron • Green-backed Heron • Squacco Heron

List of Birds species seen in Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, October 2014 :

Those endemic to Madagascar :

Nelicourvi Weaver • Madagascar wood Rail • Blue Coua • Madagascar Mannikin • Madagascar Wagtail • Madagascar long eared Owl

Those not endemic to Madagascar :

Madagascar Bulbul • Madagascar white eye • Ashy Cuckoo shrike • Common Jery • Lesser Vasa Parrot • Common Stonechat • Long billed green Sunbird