Trip Report: Madagascar (2017-10-30 - 2017-11-23)
Madagascan Flatid Leaf Bug (Phromnia rosea)
Deadly Scorpion
Deadly Spider
Asian House Gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus)
Red-veined Swallowtail (Graphium cyrnus)
Madagascar Ground Boa (Sanzinia madagascariensis)
Short-horned Chameleon (Calumma brevicorne)
Schlegel's Asity (Philepitta schlegeli)
Cuckoo Roller (Leptosomus discolor) - Male
Marbled Rain Frog (Scaphiophryne marmorata)
Malagasy Kingfisher (Corythornis vintsioides)
Collared Nightjar (Gactornis enarratus)
Madagascar Giant Day Gecko (Phelsuma kochi)
Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)
Indri (Indri indri)
Coquerel's Sifaka (Propithecus coquereli)
Verreaux's Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi)
Zombiste Sportive Lemur (Lepilemur hubbardorum)
Malagasy Kingfisher (Corythornis vintsioides)
Striated Heron (Butorides striata)
Cuvier's Madagascar Swift Lizard (Oplurus cuvieri)
Madagascar Grebe (Tachybaptus pelzelnii)
Diademed Sifaka (Propithecus diadema)
Green Bright-eyed Frog (Boophis viridis)
Madagascar Wagtail (Motacilla flaviventris)
Short-legged Ground-Roller (Brachypteracias leptosomus)
Golden Bamboo Lemur (Hapalemur aureus)
Madagascar Leaf-nosed Snake (Langaha madagascariensis)
Western Girdled Lizard (Zonosaurus laticaudatus)
Verreaux's Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi)
Red-fronted Brown Lemur (Eulemur rufifrons)
Red-bellied Lemur (Eulemur rubriventer)
Blue Coua (Coua caerulea)
Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus)
Cryptic Chameleon (Calumma Cyrpticum)
Madagascar Paradise-Flycatcher (Terpsiphone mutata)
Short-horned Chameleon (Calumma brevicorne)
Madagascar Brown Tree Frog (Boophis madagascariensis)
Gunther's Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus guentheri)
Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)
Madagascar White-eye (Zosterops maderaspatanus)
Brown Lemur (Eulemur fulvus)
Coquerel's Sifaka (Propithecus coquereli)
Malagasy Kingfisher (Corythornis vintsioides)
Panther Chameleon (Furcifer pardalis)
Peacock Day Gecko (Phelsuma quadriocellata)
Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca)
Running Coua (Coua cursor)
White-throated Rail (Dryolimnas cuvieri)
Mossy Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus sikorae)
×
Madagascan Flatid Leaf Bug (Phromnia rosea)
Deadly Scorpion
Deadly Spider
Asian House Gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus)
Red-veined Swallowtail (Graphium cyrnus)
Madagascar Ground Boa (Sanzinia madagascariensis)
Short-horned Chameleon (Calumma brevicorne)
Schlegel's Asity (Philepitta schlegeli)
Cuckoo Roller (Leptosomus discolor) - Male
Marbled Rain Frog (Scaphiophryne marmorata)
Malagasy Kingfisher (Corythornis vintsioides)
Collared Nightjar (Gactornis enarratus)
Madagascar Giant Day Gecko (Phelsuma kochi)
Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)
Indri (Indri indri)
Coquerel's Sifaka (Propithecus coquereli)
Verreaux's Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi)
Zombiste Sportive Lemur (Lepilemur hubbardorum)
Malagasy Kingfisher (Corythornis vintsioides)
Striated Heron (Butorides striata)
Cuvier's Madagascar Swift Lizard (Oplurus cuvieri)
Madagascar Grebe (Tachybaptus pelzelnii)
Diademed Sifaka (Propithecus diadema)
Green Bright-eyed Frog (Boophis viridis)
Madagascar Wagtail (Motacilla flaviventris)
Short-legged Ground-Roller (Brachypteracias leptosomus)
Golden Bamboo Lemur (Hapalemur aureus)
Madagascar Leaf-nosed Snake (Langaha madagascariensis)
Western Girdled Lizard (Zonosaurus laticaudatus)
Verreaux's Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi)
Red-fronted Brown Lemur (Eulemur rufifrons)
Red-bellied Lemur (Eulemur rubriventer)
Blue Coua (Coua caerulea)
Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus)
Cryptic Chameleon (Calumma Cyrpticum)
Madagascar Paradise-Flycatcher (Terpsiphone mutata)
Short-horned Chameleon (Calumma brevicorne)
Madagascar Brown Tree Frog (Boophis madagascariensis)
Gunther's Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus guentheri)
Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)
Madagascar White-eye (Zosterops maderaspatanus)
Brown Lemur (Eulemur fulvus)
Coquerel's Sifaka (Propithecus coquereli)
Malagasy Kingfisher (Corythornis vintsioides)
Panther Chameleon (Furcifer pardalis)
Peacock Day Gecko (Phelsuma quadriocellata)
Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca)
Running Coua (Coua cursor)
White-throated Rail (Dryolimnas cuvieri)
Mossy Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus sikorae)
Madagascar is literally the furthest place (on land) from San Francisco on the entire Earth, so of course, I had to go there.
Sites Visited
Species Seen
Kingdom: Animals (271 records)
Phylum: Arthropods
(20 records)
Class: Arachnids
(4 records)
- Order: Scorpions
(1 record)
- Family: Arrowbreasted Scorpions
- Madagascar Scorpion (Grosphus voahangyae)
- Order: Spiders
(3 records)
- Family: Golden Orbweavers
- Madagascar Giant Spider (Nephilingis livida)
Class: Insects
(14 records)
- Order: Beetles
(1 record)
- Family: Weevils
- Rhytidophloeus Weevil (Rhytidophloeus rothschildi)
- Order: Butterflies and Moths
(7 records)
- Family: Brush-footed Butterflies
- Brilliant Blue (Junonia rhadama)
- Family: Emperor and Giant Silk Moths
- Madagascar Moon Moth (Argema mittrei)
- Suraka Silk Moth (Antheraea suraka)
- Family: Milkweed Butterflies
- Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus)
- Family: Sphinx Moths
- Ankarafantsika Sphinx Moth (Dargeclanis grandidieri)
- Family: Swallowtails and Parnassians
- Marojejy Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio delalandei)
- Red-veined Swallowtail (Graphium cyrnus)
- Order: Cockroaches and Termites
(1 record)
- Family: Oriental, American, and other cockroaches
- Madagascar Hissing Cockroach (Gromphadorhina portentosa)
- Order: Grasshoppers, Katydids and Crickets
(2 records)
- Family: Gaudy Grasshoppers
- Rainbow Milkweed Locust (Phymateus saxosus)
- Family: Katydid
- Long-antennaed Katydid (Tettigoniidae ssp)
- Order: Stick Insects
(1 record)
- Family: Anisacanthidae
- Madagascar Walking Stick (Leiophasma ssp)
- Order: True Bugs
(2 records)
- Family: Cicadas
- Chremistica Cicada (Chremistica ssp)
- Family: Flatidae
- Madagascan Flatid Leaf Bug (Phromnia rosea)
Class: Millipedes
(2 records)
- Order: Cylindrical Millipedes
(1 record)
- Family: Flatplate Millipedes
- Giant Millipede (Sechelleptus ssp)
- Order: Iron Millipedes
(1 record)
- Family: Round-backed Millipedes
- Andisibe Giant Pill Millipede (Aphistogoniulus sakalava)
Phylum: Chordates
(250 records)
Class: Amphibians
(7 records)
- Order: Toads and Frogs
(7 records)
- Family: Grassland Frogs
- Mascarene Ridged Frog (Ptychadena mascareniensis)
- Family: Mantellidae
- Madagascar Brown Tree Frog (Boophis madagascariensis)
- Madagascar Frog (Gephyromantis granulatus)
- Green Bright-eyed Frog (Boophis viridis)
- Madagascar Jumping Frog (Aglyptodactylus madagascariensis)
- Family: Narrowmouth Toads
- Marbled Rain Frog (Scaphiophryne marmorata)
- Antsouhy Tomato Frog (Dyscophus insularis)
Class: Birds
(176 records)
- Order: Anseriformes (5 records)
- Order: Bucerotiformes
(1 record)
- Family: Hoopoes
- Madagascar Hoopoe (Upupa marginata)
- Order: Cranes, Rails, and Allies
(7 records)
- Family: Flufftails and Forest Rails
- Madagascar Flufftail (Sarothrura insularis)
- Family: Rails, Gallinules, and Allies
- Madagascar Wood-Rail (Mentocrex kioloides)
- Madagascar Rail (Rallus madagascariensis)
- White-throated Rail (Dryolimnas cuvieri)
- Baillon's Crake (Zapornia pusilla)
- Eurasian Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
- Red-knobbed Coot (Fulica cristata)
- Order: Cuckoo-Rollers
(1 record)
- Family: Cuckoo-Rollers
- Cuckoo Roller (Leptosomus discolor)
- Order: Cuckoos
(12 records)
- Family: Coucals
- Madagascar Coucal (Centropus toulou)
- Family: Cuckoos
- Madagascar Cuckoo (Cuculus rochii)
- Giant Coua (Coua gigas)
- Coquerel's Coua (Coua coquereli)
- Red-breasted Coua (Coua serriana)
- Red-fronted Coua (Coua reynaudii)
- Running Coua (Coua cursor)
- Red-capped Coua (Coua ruficeps)
- Crested Coua (Coua cristata)
- Verreaux's Coua (Coua verreauxi)
- Blue Coua (Coua caerulea)
- Olive-capped Coua (Coua olivaceiceps)
- Order: Doves and Pigeons (5 records)
- Order: Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies
(8 records)
- Family: Hawks, Eagles, and Kites
- Madagascar Cuckoo-Hawk (Aviceda madagascariensis)
- Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
- Madagascar Fish-Eagle (Icthyophaga vociferoides)
- Madagascar Harrier (Circus macrosceles)
- Madagascar Harrier-Hawk (Polyboroides radiatus)
- Frances's Sparrowhawk (Tachyspiza francesiae)
- Madagascar Sparrowhawk (Accipiter madagascariensis)
- Madagascar Buzzard (Buteo brachypterus)
- Order: Hummingbirds and Swifts (3 records)
- Order: Kingfishers, Bee-eaters, Motmots
(9 records)
- Family: Bee-eaters
- Madagascar Bee-eater (Merops superciliosus)
- Family: Ground-Rollers
- Short-legged Ground-Roller (Brachypteracias leptosomus)
- Scaly Ground-Roller (Geobiastes squamiger)
- Pitta-like Ground-Roller (Atelornis pittoides)
- Rufous-headed Ground-Roller (Atelornis crossleyi)
- Long-tailed Ground-Roller (Uratelornis chimaera)
- Family: Kingfishers
- Malagasy Kingfisher (Corythornis vintsioides)
- Madagascar Pygmy-Kingfisher (Corythornis madagascariensis)
- Family: Rollers
- Broad-billed Roller (Eurystomus glaucurus)
- Order: Mesites (2 records)
- Order: Owls And Nightjars
(5 records)
- Family: Nighthawks and Nightjars
- Madagascar Nightjar (Caprimulgus madagascariensis)
- Collared Nightjar (Gactornis enarratus)
- Family: Typical Owls
- White-browed Owl (Athene superciliaris)
- Madagascar Long-eared Owl (Asio madagascariensis)
- Madagascar Scops-Owl (Otus rutilus)
- Order: Parrots (3 records)
- Order: Pelicans
(32 records)
- Family: Cormorants
- Reed Cormorant (Microcarbo africanus)
- Family: Coursers
- Madagascar Pratincole (Glareola ocularis)
- Family: Falcons and Caracaras
- Madagascar Kestrel (Falco newtoni)
- Banded Kestrel (Falco zoniventris)
- Eleonora's Falcon (Falco eleonorae)
- Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
- Family: Flamingos
- Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
- Family: Grebes
- Madagascar Grebe (Tachybaptus pelzelnii)
- Family: Hamerkops
- Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta)
- Family: Herons
- Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca)
- Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
- Gray Heron (Ardea cinerea)
- Humblot's Heron (Ardea humbloti)
- Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)
- Great Egret (Ardea alba)
- Western Cattle Egret (Ardea ibis)
- Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides)
- Madagascar Pond-Heron (Ardeola idae)
- Striated Heron (Butorides striata)
- Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
- Family: Ibises and Spoonbills
- Madagascar Ibis (Lophotibis cristata)
- Madagascar Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis bernieri)
- Family: Jacanas
- Madagascar Jacana (Actophilornis albinucha)
- Family: Sandgrouse
- Madagascar Sandgrouse (Pterocles personatus)
- Family: Sandpipers and Allies
- Madagascar Snipe (Gallinago macrodactyla)
- Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
- Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)
- Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
- Terek Sandpiper (Xenus cinereus)
- Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
- Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)
- Family: Stilts and Avocets
- Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
- Order: Perching Birds (66 records)
- Family: Bulbuls
- Long-billed Bernieria (Bernieria madagascariensis)
- Spectacled Tetraka (Xanthomixis zosterops)
- Appert's Tetraka (Xanthomixis apperti)
- Gray-crowned Tetraka (Xanthomixis cinereiceps)
- Madagascar Bulbul (Hypsipetes madagascariensis)
- Family: Cuckoo-shrike
- Madagascar Cuckooshrike (Ceblepyris cinereus)
- Family: Drongos
- Crested Drongo (Dicrurus forficatus)
- Family: Jays and Crows
- Pied Crow (Corvus albus)
- Ward's Flycatcher (Pseudobias wardi)
- Rufous Vanga (Schetba rufa)
- Hook-billed Vanga (Vanga curvirostris)
- Lafresnaye's Vanga (Xenopirostris xenopirostris)
- Van Dam's Vanga (Xenopirostris damii)
- Pollen's Vanga (Xenopirostris polleni)
- White-headed Vanga (Artamella viridis)
- Sickle-billed Vanga (Falculea palliata)
- Chabert's Vanga (Leptopterus chabert)
- Blue Vanga (Cyanolanius madagascarinus)
- Helmet Vanga (Euryceros prevostii)
- Tylas Vanga (Tylas eduardi)
- Nuthatch Vanga (Hypositta corallirostris)
- Family: Larks
- Madagascar Lark (Eremopterix hova)
- Family: Malagasy Warblers
- Cryptic Warbler (Cryptosylvicola randrianasoloi)
- Family: Old World Flycatchers
- African Stonechat (Saxicola torquatus)
- Family: Old World Sparrows
- House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
- Nelicourvi Weaver (Ploceus nelicourvi)
- Sakalava Weaver (Ploceus sakalava)
- Red Fody (Foudia madagascariensis)
- Forest Fody (Foudia omissa)
- Madagascar Munia (Lepidopygia nana)
- Family: Old World Warblers and Gnatcatchers
- Brown Emutail (Bradypterus brunneus)
- Thamnornis (Thamnornis chloropetoides)
- Madagascar Swamp-Warbler (Acrocephalus newtoni)
- Rand's Warbler (Randia pseudozosterops)
- Dark Newtonia (Newtonia amphichroa)
- Common Newtonia (Newtonia brunneicauda)
- Archbold's Newtonia (Newtonia archboldi)
- Gray Emutail (Bradypterus seebohmi)
- Common Jery (Neomixis tenella)
- Green Jery (Neomixis viridis)
- Stripe-throated Jery (Neomixis striatigula)
- Wedge-tailed Jery (Hartertula flavoviridis)
- White-throated Oxylabes (Oxylabes madagascariensis)
- Yellow-browed Oxylabes (Crossleyia xanthophrys)
- Family: Paradise-flycatcher
- Madagascar Paradise-Flycatcher (Terpsiphone mutata)
- Family: Prinias and Apalis
- Madagascar Cisticola (Cisticola cherina)
- Family: Reed Warblers and Allies
- Madagascar Brush-Warbler (Nesillas typica)
- Subdesert Brush-Warbler (Nesillas lantzii)
- Family: Starlings and Mynas
- Madagascar Starling (Hartlaubius auratus)
- Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)
- Family: Swallows
- Mascarene Martin (Phedina borbonica)
- Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
- Madagascar Martin (Riparia cowani)
- Family: Thrushes and Allies
- Forest Rock-Thrush (Monticola sharpei)
- Crossley's Vanga (Mystacornis crossleyi)
- Madagascar Magpie-Robin (Copsychus albospecularis)
- Family: Vangas
- Red-tailed Vanga (Calicalicus madagascariensis)
- Red-shouldered Vanga (Calicalicus rufocarpalis)
- Family: Wagtails and Pipits
- Madagascar Wagtail (Motacilla flaviventris)
- Family: White-eyes
- Madagascar White-eye (Zosterops maderaspatanus)
- Order: Shorebirds and Allies
(14 records)
- Family: Buttonquail
- Madagascar Buttonquail (Turnix nigricollis)
- Family: Crab Plover
- Crab-Plover (Dromas ardeola)
- Family: Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
- Lesser Crested Tern (Thalasseus bengalensis)
- Great Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii)
- Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii)
- Saunders's Tern (Sternula saundersi)
- Family: Painted-Snipes
- Greater Painted-snipe (Rostratula benghalensis)
- Family: Plovers
- Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
- Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
- Madagascar Plover (Anarhynchus thoracicus)
- Kittlitz's Plover (Anarhynchus pecuarius)
- Three-banded Plover (Thinornis tricollaris)
- White-fronted Plover (Anarhynchus marginatus)
- Greater Sand-Plover (Anarhynchus leschenaultii)
- Order: Turkey-like birds
(3 records)
- Family: Grouse, Turkeys, and Allies
- Madagascar Partridge (Margaroperdix madagarensis)
- Harlequin Quail (Coturnix delegorguei)
- Family: Guineafowl
- Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris)
Class: Mammals
(25 records)
- Order: Bats
(1 record)
- Family: Rhinonycteridae
- Commerson's Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros commersonii)
- Order: Hedgehog
(1 record)
- Family: Tenrecidae
- Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec (Echinops telfairi)
- Order: Primates (21 records)
- Family: Indridae
- Gmelin's Woolly Lemur (Avahi laniger)
- Indri (Indri indri)
- Family: Lemuridae
- Brown Lemur (Eulemur fulvus)
- Red-bellied Lemur (Eulemur rubriventer)
- Golden Bamboo Lemur (Hapalemur aureus)
- Western Lesser Bamboo Lemur (Hapalemur occidentalis)
- Ring-tailed Lemur (Lemur catta)
- Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata)
- Red-fronted Brown Lemur (Eulemur rufifrons)
- White-fronted Brown Lemur (Eulemur albifrons)
- Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur (Hapalemur griseus)
- Family: Lepilemuridae
- Diademed Sifaka (Propithecus diadema)
- Verreaux's Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi)
- Zombiste Sportive Lemur (Lepilemur hubbardorum)
- Milne-Edwards Sifaka (Propithecus edwardsi)
- Silky Sifaka (Propithecus candidus)
- Coquerel's Sifaka (Propithecus coquereli)
- Order: Rodents (2 records)
Class: Reptiles
(42 records)
- Order: Alligators and Crocodiles
(1 record)
- Family: Crocodiles
- Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)
- Order: Lizards and Snakes (41 records)
- Family: Chameleons
- Warty Chameleon (Furcifer verrucosus)
- Oustalet's Chameleon (Furcifer oustaleti)
- Giant Carpet Chameleon (Furcifer major)
- Deceptive Chameleon (Calumma fallax)
- Glaw's Chameleon (Calumma gastrotaenia)
- Cryptic Chameleon (Calumma Cyrpticum)
- Panther Chameleon (Furcifer pardalis)
- Marojejy Leaf Chameleon (Brookesia griveaudi)
- Short-horned Chameleon (Calumma brevicorne)
- Big-nosed Chameleon (Calumma nasutum)
- Rhinocerous Chameleon (Furcifer rhinoceratus)
- Family: Geckos
- Standing's Day Gecko (Phelsuma standingi)
- Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus)
- Peacock Day Gecko (Phelsuma quadriocellata)
- Madagascar Day Gecko (Phelsuma madagascariensis)
- Lined Day Gecko (Phelsuma lineata)
- Mossy Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus sikorae)
- House Gecko (Hemidactylus mercatorius)
- Madagascar Giant Day Gecko (Phelsuma kochi)
- Asian House Gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus)
- Henkel's Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus henkeli)
- Peter's Spotted Fish-scaled Gecko (Geckolepis maculata)
- Gunther's Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus guentheri)
- Family: Lamprophiidae
- Four-striped Snake (Dromicodryas quadrilineatus)
- Forest Water Snake (Thamnosophis infrasignatus)
- Lateral Water Snake (Thamnosophis lateralis)
- Giant Madagascan Hognose (Leioheterodon madagascariensis)
- Madagascar Cat-eyed Snake (Madagascarophis colubrinus)
- Blonde Hognose Snake (Leioheterodon modestus)
- Madagascar Leaf-nosed Snake (Langaha madagascariensis)
- Family: Plated Lizards
- Bronze Girdled Lizard (Zonosaurus aeneus)
- Red-legged Girdled Lizard (Zonosaurus rufipes)
- Western Girdled Lizard (Zonosaurus laticaudatus)
- Family: Skinks
- Gold-spotted Mabuya (Trachylepis aureopunctata)
- Family: Snakes
- Common Big-eyed Snake (Mimophis mahfalensis)
Phylum: Mullusks
(1 record)
Class: Gastropod
(1 record)
- Order: Snails
(1 record)
- Family: Land Snail
- Madagascar Snail (Helicophanta magnifica)