There are more than twenty species of birds on the island of Nosy Komba. Some are found in all the Mascarene Islands and others are endemic, such as the Red Fodi, the Railovy, the Bulbul, the Malagasy Screech-Owl, the White-browed Owl and other species.
The best time to observe the birdlife is during the last months of the dry season, i.e. in September and October, the nesting period.
Nowadays, many species are threatened in Madagascar, due to deforestation, the expansion of human activity, but also because of the hunting of which they are victims.
Still well wooded and protected by the fact that there are no roads or infrastructures destroying the biodiversity, Nosy Komba remains a privileged place for the protection of species.
Nature lovers can easily observe the many birds that inhabit the forests of the island, but also the seabirds that can be found all along the coastline, as well as on the small surrounding islands.
Non-exhaustive summary table of the bird species recorded on the island:
Malagasy name
Cisticole
Corbeau pie
Épervier de Frances
Fangalamoty
Fody
Hitsikitsiky
Railovy
Sabero
Samby
Shama
Siketry
Sohimanga
Antoloho
Tsararôko
Tsikirikirigny
Tsiporitiky
Tsokoreva
Vintsy
Voronadabo
Torotoroka
French name
Athene sourcils blancs
Cistcicole malgache
Corbeau pie
Épervier de Frances
Martinet malgache
Foudi rouge kardinal
Crécerelle malgache
Aigrette blanche
Drongo malgache
Zosterops malgache
Sterne pierregarin
Shama de Madagascar
Tchitrec malgache
Souimanga
Coucal toulou
Rolle violet
Guêpier de Perse
Capucin de Madagascar
Bulbul de madagascar
Martin-pêcheur
Colombar maïtsou
Petit-duc malgache
English name
White-browed owl
Madagascar cisticola
Pied crow
Frances’s Sparrowhawk
Madagascar swift
Red fody
Newton falcon
Great egret
Black drongo
Madagascar white-eye
Common tern
Magpie-Robin
Paradise fly-catcher
Long-billed green sunbird
Coucal
Broad-billed roller
Olive bee-eater
Madagascar munia
Black bulbul
Madagascar kingfisher
Green-pigeon
Torotoroka Scops-Owl
Genus
Athene superciliaris
Cisticola cherina
Corvus albus
Accipiter francesiae
Apus balstoni
Foudia madagascariensis
Falco newtoni
Dicrurus forficatus
Zosterops maderaspatana
Sterna hirundo
Copsychus albospecularis
Terpsiphone mutata
Nectarinia souimanga
Centropus toulou
Eurystomus glaucurus
Merops supercilliosus
Lonchura nana
Hypsipetes madagascariensis
Corythornis vintsioïdes
Treron australis
Otus rutilus
Family
Strigidae
Cisticolidae
Corvidae
Accipitriade
Apodidae
Ploceidae
Falconidae
Ardeidae
Dicruridae
Zospteropidae
Laridae
Muscicapidae
Monarchidae
Nectariniidae
Cuculidae
Coracidae
Meropidae
Estriltidae
Pyconotidae
Alcedinidae
Columbidae
Stigidaeae
Siketry
English name : Paradise fly-catcher
Genus : Terpsiphone mutata
The paradise fly-catcher is the Malagasy bird of paradise. The adult male is distinguished by his long white tail, which allows him to seduce his mate, while the latter is redheaded, and has a small tail.
Hitsikitsiky
English name: Newton falcon
Genus: Falco newtoni
The Newton falcon dominates the sky and is feared by other birds. It is capable of hovering, which makes it a formidable hunter. It does not hesitate to plunder nests even in the presence of the parents of its prey.
Tsararôko
English name: Broad-billed roller
Genus: Eurystomus Glaucurus
The broad-billed roller nests in the heights of trees at the edge of forests, a strategic hunting ground. It feeds mainly on insects, but also on seeds.
Fody
English name: Red fody
Genus: Foudia madagascariensis
The red fody lives in pairs. The male can be recognized by his red plumage while the female’s is light brown.
Shama
English name: Magpie-robin
Genus: Copsychus albospecularis
The magpie-robin lives in couples. The male has a midnight blue and white plumage. The female has a beige and grey plumage.
Sabero
English name: Madagascar white-eye
Genus: Zosterops maderaspatana
This small bird has trouble staying put, and is most often seen in the treetops. It can mix with other species of birds in search of food.
Torotoroka
English name: Torotoroka Scops-Owl
Genus: Otus rutilus
This small endemic round-headed owl remains motionless and hidden during the day. At night its song can be heard intermittently.
Vorondolo
English name: White-browed owl
Genus: Athene superciliaris
This small endemic owl can be recognized by its two large black eyes with white eyebrows and white spots on its wings. It is active at night.
Tsikirikirigny
English name: Olive bee-eater
Genus: Merops supercilliosus
The Olive Bee-eater perches in the treetops to watch for its prey. When it catches them, it slams them with its beak against a branch to stun them.
Vôron-adabo
English name: Green-pigeon
Genus: Treron australis
This green pigeon generally builds its nest in the heights of trees. It lives in pairs and usually travels in groups.
Antoloho
English name: Coucal
Genus: Centropus toulou
The Toloho is not a great nest builder. It is nicknamed here “vôrono kamo” i.e. the lazy bird, because it tends to install its nest in the brushwood.
Tsiporitiky
English name: Madagascar munia
Genus: Lepidopygia
This passerine is distinguished by its very small size. It lives in couples, but also in groups. it is herbivorous and carnivorous.
Kilandy be
English name: Great egret
Genus: Casmerodius albus
This wading bird, which is found all over the world, can be seen here at the water’s edge where it looks for food.
Sohimanga
English name: Long-billed green sunbird
Genus: Nectarinia Souimanga
These very small birds which always live in couple are often confused with the hummingbird. The Suimanga, chooses rather the not too high branches and builds a nest in the shape of ball with a hole surmounted by a porch which protects the nest from bad weather.
Tsokoreva
English name: Black bulbul
Genus: Hypsipetes madagascariensis
The bulbul lives in pairs and groups. Like the white-eye, it mixes easily with other birds in search of food.
Vintsy
English name: Madagascar kingfisher
Genus: Corythornis vintsioïdes
This kingfisher is solitary. It usually sits just above the water to watch for its prey.
Crow
English name: Pied crow
Genus: Corvidae
This crow has a white belly. It eats almost everything.
Samby
English name: Common tern
Genus: Sterna hirundo
This bird is also called sea swallow feeds on fish that it catches by diving.
Railovy
English name: Black drongo
Genus: Dicrurus forficatus
The Malagasy Drongo is considered as the king of birds. It protects its territory with fervour. It has a real talent of imitation: it can as well imitate the meows of the cat as imitate the song or the whistle of other species.
Firasa
English name: Frances’s Sparrowhawk
Genus: Accipiter francesiae
The Frances’ sparrowhawk is endemic to Madagascar and the Comoros. It is a sedentary bird. Like the Newton falcon, it hovers above the trees to identify its prey.
Ciscticole
English name: Madagascar cisticola
Genus: Cisticola
The Malagasy Cisticola is distinguished by its small size and its long beak.
Fangalamoty
English name: Madagascar swift
Genus: Apus balstoni
This endemic bird reminds of the swallow, it has long and pointed wings.
