When travelling to Madagascar, one immediately thinks of its lemurs, turquoise beaches, and baobab trees representing its unique flora. This unique combination is home to just over a hundred endemic bird species. They are spread across the entire island. Others are more common and share their distribution between Madagascar and other countries.

Whether migratory or sedentary, birds are an integral part of Madagascar’s biodiversity, playing a role as pollinators, seed spreaders and predators. In this article, we take a look at the 10 most famous birds of Madagascar. Far from being technical data sheets, we provide you with the information you need to know if you are not a bird specialist. Let’s get started!

Madagascar wagtail

This is the bird you will encounter everywhere on the island of Madagascar: in gardens, on terraces, in streets and in parks. The Madagascar wagtail is undoubtedly the most widespread species on the island. It is a small bird, measuring around 12 cm, with a tail that is 5 to 6 cm long. Its upper plumage is white and grey, while its under plumage is yellow and grey. On the ground, the bird bobs up and down with its tail to keep its balance and find its way around. It is a bird that lives in groups.

Foudi (Fody Foudia madagascariensis)

Certainly the most popular bird on the list and in the country, it is used by Madagascans to describe any bird. It ranks second among the island’s most famous birds. However, the genus does not encompass all bird families, and it is common in popular culture to call an unidentified bird a ‘fody’.

The genus includes seven species of birds: the red fody, the Comoro fody, the Aldabra fody, the forest fody, the Seychelles fody and the Rodriguez fody.

It is a small bird measuring about 10 cm with plain plumage strewn with black feathers on its back. There is no sexual dimorphism.

Vintsi Kingfisher (Malagasy Kingfisher)

An exquisitely beautiful bird with orange plumage on its breast, blue wings, a white neck and orange-blue-black crests. The Malagasy Kingfisher is a bird that lives in Madagascar and the Comoros archipelago. The bird is found throughout Madagascar from north to south and similarly in the Comoros. It flies mainly near rivers, streams and other water sources that are conducive to its feeding. It loves wetlands, which are its playground.

Artamie chabert (Chabert Vanga Leptopterus chabert)

Endemic to Madagascar, the Chabert Vanga is a bird found throughout the island. It has simple black plumage on its wings and head, with the rest of its body white. It feeds mainly on berries and insects. The bird lives in groups and has a specific call that distinguishes it from other birds.

Madagascar Harrier (Malagasy Harrier Circus macrosceles)

The Madagascar harrier is a bird found in the higher elevations of the island of Madagascar. It is a large bird measuring approximately 50 to 60 cm in length with a wingspan of up to 1.5 m. It is often seen gliding high above fields, wastelands, and mountain forests in search of prey. To the untrained eye, it is often mistaken for a (much larger) bird of prey due to the altitude at which it flies. There is sexual dimorphism between the male and female: the male is grey-white, while the female is brown with more uniform plumage.

Rock Pigeon

The rock pigeon is a bird found in all cities on the island. It is the same species of pigeon found on other continents.

In Madagascan cities, they mainly live near educational establishments: school playgrounds provide the ideal place for them to roam and also make it easier for them to find food than in other areas.

In rural areas, pigeons are farmed and their meat is highly prized. It is a very tasty red meat and is popular in local cuisine.

In Malagasy, the pigeon is called ‘voromailala’ and can be associated with romanticism.

Salomonsen’s Philépitte (Philépitte de Salomonsen)

A small bird with a forked beak, the Salomonsen’s Philépitte is endemic to Madagascar. It is distinguished by its brightly coloured plumage: blue wings, yellow chest and cyan blue head for males, females with dark green wings and light green chest and head. The bird measures no more than 8 cm and lives in the forests of Madagascar. It usually feeds on nectar, insects and fruit.

The Rufous Vanga (Rufous Vanga)

A medium-sized bird, the Rufous Vanga is a very common passerine in the forests of eastern Madagascar. It measures about 20 cm in length with a wingspan of 25 cm. It has rufous wings and a white flank, as well as a black head. There is sexual dimorphism between the male and female, with the male having a black throat and the female a white throat. The bird has a distinctive piercing call. The species can be aggressive and attack humans by pecking rapidly at the skull of its attacker.

The Helmeted Guineafowl (Helmeted Guineafowl)

The helmeted guineafowl is a short-legged wild bird found in Madagascar and on the African continent. It is commonly raised for its meat, which is rich in protein, vitamin B, zinc and iron. The species is capable of flight, but most often moves on its two legs. The bird has white spots on a dark blue background or white stripes on a dark blue background. The male has a crest.

Common Myna

A very common bird on the island, the common myna is often found near human dwellings. It has entirely black plumage with slight white markings on its tail. It is an omnivorous species. It also lives in India, Australia and North America, and in 2019 it was added to the European Union’s list of invasive alien species.

Van Dam’s Vanga

Another vanga on the list, the Van Dam’s Vanga, named after the Dutch hunter who discovered it, is a bird endemic to Madagascar. The bird is distinguished by its larger beak. Its plumage is black and white: its wings are black and the rest of its body is white. It is a bird that is rarely seen.

Fanovana Newtonia or Red-tailed Newtonia

A small vanga, the Fanovana Newtonia is a fairly rare bird with plain-coloured plumage. It lives in the tropical forests of eastern Madagascar and is endemic to the island. The bird is energetic and lively. It has a short, repetitive call that sounds like a repeated beep.

Colombar maïtsou

Literally ‘green colombar’ in Malagasy, the colombar is a bird found throughout the island of Madagascar. Its plumage is entirely green and there is no sexual dimorphism between males and females. The green pigeon has a fast and direct flight and is a species that often lives in groups. It is difficult to observe due to its plumage, which blends in with the vegetation where it lives, but it is nevertheless a very widespread species. Its eyes are blue.