Bird of Madagascar:

FOREST TYPE : Southern Domain

FOREST TYPE :Southern Domain.

ACCESSIBILITY : Alaotra Lake lies at 160 km (4hrs) from Moramanga by dirt road. Road access is almost impossible during the rainy season. There is daily rail service from Antananarivo via Moramanga (275 km, 9 hrs) .

OBSERVATIONS  FACILITIES:Observation is possible from the shore, particulary from the paved road northwest  of the lake, but it is preferable to rent a canoe so that one can approach the islands of vegetation. The best lacustrine sites are near the villages of Ambatosoratra, east of lake, and Anororo, west of the lake.

AVIFAUNA : 88 species  have been listed, including two rare species  know only at  this lake, the  Alaotra little grebe  and the  Madagascar pochard. Other endemic  or regionally endemic species observed here include  Meller’s  duck, The Malagasy pond  heron, Humblot’s heron, The réunion harrier, the Madagascar rail, and the Madagascar snipe.  During the austral summer ,Eleonora’s falcon and  the Sooty falcon  are common sights.

 VISITOR INFORMATION: The  lake is the property of  the Ranarivelo family. Visitors should conduct themselves in a manner appropriate to a bird sanctuary. The lake is in the Alarobia area, at the end of  the route des Hydrocarbures, and can be reached by taxi.

AVIFAUNA : 49 species  have been listed around lake Alarobia. The main  attraction, as in the case of Tsimbazaza Park, is a heronry, which in this case  supports 7 species, including a fairly large population of the Malagasy pond heron .During the hunting season the lake may be frequented by more than a thousand ducks, mostly White-faced xhistling duck and Red-billed teal. Four other species, including Meller’s duck,can be found here as well. Other species, such as the african spoonbill and Red-knobbed coot, have occasionally been sighted. Several raptor species, such as the Madagascar cuckoo-falcon and Réunion harrier, have  been recorded regulary and less  frequently reported species include the  Banded kestrel and the  Madagascar buzzard. During the austral summer, sightings of Eleonora’s falcon and the Sooty falcon are common.

VISITOR INFORMATION: Ramena Beach lies  18 km(20mn) by paved road northeast of Antsiranana. It can  be reached by  taxi . The Southern end  of the beach  ends in a long spit frequented by many shore species . Next to the spit is a small mangrove  whose  salt marshes  teem with birds at low tide.

AVIFAUNA :27 species  have been observed here ,among them the  Caspian tern ,Roseate tern  ,lesser-crested tern,  and Greater-crested tern .A group of  Crab plovers resides here  year-round,and it is a good place to observe Palearctic shore birds .The White-tailed tropicbird and the lesser frigatebird are regulary observed here.

VISITOR INFORMATION : The coastal mud flats of Tulear are in the middle of town, just north of the harbor. The best time for observation, which  can be  conducted from a stone jetty projecting  into the sea, is  at low tide.

AVIFAUNA : 23 species  have  been observed, among them a large number of Palearctic migrants, including the Greater sand plover and the Terek sandpiper. Tern roots, primarily of Greater-crested terns, may be established on nearby coral reefs.

FOREST TYPE : Central Domain

FOREST TYPE: Western Domain

ACCESSIBILITY:Year-round, the station can be reached from Antananarivo (425 km,8hrs) or from Mahajanga (120 km, 2h30 mn) by paved road.

OBSERVATIONS FACILITIES: There is a very good network of footpaths in the station, which is directly adjacent to strict Natural reserve 7 of Ankarafantsika.

AVIFAUNA :103 species have been listed ,including some species exclusive to the western Domain,such as the Madagascar fish-eagle,the White-breasted mesite , and Van Dam’s vanga.Other unusual species,such as coquerel’s coua , the Red-capped coua, Schlegel’s asity,the rufous vanga, and the Sickle-billed vanga, have been observed .

FOREST TYPE : Western domain

ACCESSIBILITY :May be  inaccessible for some weeks during the rainy season .The section of forest  of interest  is situated 30 km(45 mn) north of Morondava on the unpaved road leading to Belo-sur-Tsiribihina.

OBSERVATIONS  FACILITIES: There is a very good network of footpaths within the concession, and  the road itself is excellent for purposes of observation, particularly of aquatic species.

AVIFAUNA : 114 species have been listed at this site, including aquatic species frequenting temporary forest ponds, areas subject to flooding, the mangroves, and the  coastal strip. The forest species include such unusual birds as Henst’s goshawk, the Banded kestrel, and the  White-breasted mesite, as well as more  common ones, such as the Giant coua, the Red-capped coua, and the Sickle-billed vanga. The wetlands attract some interesting aquatic species, including the Madagascar little grebe, The African openbill stork, the Greater flamingo, the African pygmy goose, the  Madagascar plover, and the Madagascar jacana

VISITOR INFORMATION :Tsimbazaza Park is open to the public  Thursday,  Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Located in the center  of town, it is easy to find.

AVIFAUNA :50 species have been observed in the park,  which has long  been known especially for the heron-ries around  its ponds . 9 species  of heron  are found there , including the  Malagasy pond heron ,black-crowned night-heron  and  Great egret .Other  species , such as the darter , Glossy  ibis , Madagascar long-eared owl, Madagascar brush-warbler and Common jery can also be observed there.

VISITOR INFORMATION :No autorization is necessary. The lake lies next to the runway of Ivato International Airport, which contains army facilities .It  is therefore advisable not to approach the  part of the lake near which the army camp is situated .The site is easily accessible on foot from the airport .

AVIFAUNA : 40 species  have been recorded here .The number of birds and the variety of species depend on the lake’s water level .The lake attracts such regular visitor  as the gray heron, the common greenshank and the Gray-headed gull. It provides a resting-place for ducks ,including Meller’s duck and especially the Red-billed teal ,which congregate in large numbers .A few nesting species ,among them the Whiskered tern, are worth noting. Many domestic ducks feed on the lake .

 FOREST TYPE : Southern Domain.

ACCESSIBILITY :Year-round, the section of the forest of interest here is one the unpaved road between Tulear and Morombe from the 28 km to the 32 km markers Boundary markings have been set up along the road .The site can be reached in an hour from Tulear.

OBSERVATIONS  FACILITIES :At the 32 km point the subarid thorn scrub can be entered by footpath leading east. Other small footpaths can be followed from the road. Some  aquatic species can be observed at Andranobe lake a few kilometers northeast of the 32 km point .

AVIFAUNA : 76 species have been observed at this site, among them everal local to southern domain, such as the subdesert mesite, the long-tailed ground-roller, the thamnornis warbler, Archbold’s newtonia, and Lafresnaye’s vanga. Other interesting species, such as  the banded kestrel,  the Madagascar  plover, and the sickle-billed vanga, are easily observable.