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I saw over 100 bird species, almost all of which are endemic to Madagascar or the Malagasy region. Spectacular birds included many Vangas, Ground-rollers and Mesites; views were often close enough to obtain superb photographs. In addition many species of lemur (including Indri), chameleons, reptiles, invertebrates and wild flowers were seen. The tour was well structured through visits to multiple habitats, and lead by a Malagasy national guide, a British guide and several local guides in each of the areas visited. Madagascar is a fascinating place, well worth visiting for its diversity of wildlife.
R.C. Bedfordshire
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Madagascar's Endemic Birds
Tour Code: MDG07An 18-day birdwatching holiday to the rainforests, wetlands and deserts of Madagascar in search of the island's unique birdlife and other spectacular wildlife.
18 days
from
£6,995
£6,995
Land only price
from
£6,095
£6,095
Highlights
- Madagascar is home to 36 endemic bird genera & about 120 endemic species
- Andasibe-Mantadia National Park - Scaly Ground-roller and Nuthatch Vanga, along with Indri
- Look for Schlegel’s Asity and White-breasted Mesite as well as lots of other specialities in Ankarafantsika National Park
- Sakalava Rail at Lake Kinkony and chance of Madagascar Sacred Ibis and Humblot's Heron on the Betsiboka Estuary
- Sub-desert Mesite, Sickle-billed Vanga and Long-tailed Ground-roller in the spiny forest
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Summary
Madagascar’s unique wildlife is well documented. Most famous are its lemurs, but the island is also home to an impressive avifauna: four endemic families of birds (the mesites, ground-rollers, asities and the Bernieridae ‘warblers’), plus two additional families (the vangas and cuckoo-rollers) that occur only on Madagascar and the nearby Comoros Islands. On this tour we go in search of the island’s spectacular and unique birdlife, visiting the different regions of the country.
We start in the one of the best forests for lemurs, but just as good for birding - the rainforests of Andasibe-Mantadia National Park. One of the main draws is the Indri that reside here, with their beautifully haunting calls resounding far and wide, but the birding is just as captivating with many species of newtonia, asity, jery, tetraka, vanga plus many more found here, with Scaly Ground-roller and Nuthatch Vanga particular species to look for. We will return to Tana for the night before flying to Mahajanga and the second part of this trip. We will head to the dry western forests of Ankarafantsika National Park, another unique habitat that is sure to yield more unique and exciting species such as Madagascar Fish Eagle and White-breasted Mesite. We then head back to Mahajanga and beyond for some wetland habitat, exploring the vast Betsiboka Estuary, and a night camping on the shores of Lake Kinkony to search for the incredibly rare Sakalava Rail. Flying back to Tana for another overnight, we then fly south-west to Toliara with time to look for Verreaux's Coua and Red-shouldered Vanga, and then to the spiny forest for Sub-desert Mesite, Sickle-billed Vanga and Long-tailed Ground-roller amongst others. We fly back to Tana for one last night before it is time to leave this amazing country.
Grading
Grade B/C. Moderate to difficult day walks but sometimes along narrow, uneven paths on hilly terrain, in either very hot or humid conditions. Optional night walks. Some long days of overland travel on poor quality roads and a night's camping. A good level of fitness is required.
The island of Madagascar is blessed with some of the world’s most unique and exciting wildlife. Over 80% of all life here is endemic, the legacy of 90 million years of isolation. Its birdlife is particularly special. Those few pioneer species that made it to the island in the distant past have, over many generations, evolved and diversified into the wonderful spectacle of Malagasy birdlife that we see today; each family and species has been moulded over the millennia by natural selection to fit its own unique niche and habitat. Today, Madagascar is home to four endemic families of birds (the mesites, ground-rollers, asities and the Bernieridae ‘warblers’), plus two additional families (the vangas and cuckoo-rollers) that occur only on Madagascar and the nearby Comoros Islands. In all, this ancient fragment of Gondwanaland can boast 36 endemic bird genera and around 120 endemic species!
Outline Itinerary
Day 1/2
Depart London / Arrive Tana
Day 3/5
Andasibe & Mantadia National Parks
Day 6
Tana
Day 7/8
Ankarafantsika National Park
Day 9
Katsepy
Day 10
Lake Kinkony
Day 11
Katsepy
Day 12
Tana
Day 13
Saint Augustin
Day 14/15
Ifaty
Day 16
Tana
Day 17/18
Depart Tana / Arrive London
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
We stay in simple, but comfortable, hotels and eco-lodges. All rooms have private facilities, except at Ankarafantsika where they may be shared. We camp for one night under canvas at a campsite on the shores of Lake Kinkony, where facilities are shared. Camp chef and staff, and bedding supplied.
- Food:
All food is included in the price.
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