List of birds of Madagascar

This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 2022 edition.

A bone possibly belonging to Mullerornis has been radiocarbon dated to about 1260 BP, suggesting that the animal was still extant at the end of the first millennium.

These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating.

Order: Phoenicopteriformes   Family: Phoenicopteridae Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 m) tall, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres.

Their oddly shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down.

Order: Pterocliformes   Family: Pteroclidae Sandgrouse have small, pigeon like heads and necks, but sturdy compact bodies.

They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings.

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Rostratulidae Painted-snipes are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the true snipes, but more brightly coloured.

They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat.

Different lengths of legs and bills enable multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Turnicidae The buttonquails are small, drab, running birds which resemble the true quails.

It resembles a plover but with very long grey legs and a strong heavy black bill similar to a tern.

It has black-and-white plumage, a long neck, partially webbed feet and a bill designed for eating crabs.

Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head.

Order: Phaethontiformes   Family: Phaethontidae Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers.

[25] Order: Sphenisciformes   Family: Spheniscidae The penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere.

Most penguins feed on krill, fish, squid and other forms of sea life caught while swimming underwater.

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Procellariidae The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterised by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary.

Order: Ciconiiformes   Family: Ciconiidae Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked, wading birds with long, stout bills.

Order: Suliformes   Family: Anhingidae Anhingas or darters are often called "snake-birds" because they have long thin necks, which gives a snake-like appearance when they swim with their bodies submerged.

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Strigidae The typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey.

Order: Bucerotiformes   Family: Upupidae Hoopoes have black, white and orangey-pink colouring with a large erectile crest on their head.

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Alcedinidae Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs and stubby tails.

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Coraciidae Rollers resemble crows in size and build, but are more closely related to the kingfishers and bee-eaters.

Old World parrots are found from Africa east across south and southeast Asia and Oceania to Australia and New Zealand.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Alaudidae Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights.

They are generally very small birds of drab brown or grey appearance found in open country such as grassland or scrub.

Some are colourful with yellow, red, or orange vents, cheeks, throats, or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive-brown to black plumage.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Zosteropidae The white-eyes are small birds of rather drab appearance, the plumage above being typically greenish-olive, but some species have a white or bright yellow throat, breast, or lower parts, and several have buff flanks.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Estrildidae The estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia.

The sickle-billed vanga belongs to the family Vangidae , one of Madagascar's families.
The harlequin quail breeds occasionally in Madagascar. [ 4 ]
The little grebe is common on fresh and brackish waters, particularly in western wetlands and the northern highlands. [ 5 ]
There are few recent records of black-browed albatross , which was formerly frequent in Madagascar waters. [ 6 ]
Though not often seen from land, the Wilson's storm petrel is regularly recorded on migration through Malagasy waters, sometimes in large numbers. [ 7 ]
Pink-backed pelicans bred in Madagascar in the late 1950s and early 1960s, but have only been recorded a few times since. [ 8 ]
The greater frigatebird is typically found soaring in groups high above the ocean, often in thermals. [ 9 ]
The globally threatened Humblot's heron is endemic to Madagascar, though it may also breed on the Comoros. [ 10 ]
The endemic, forest-dwelling Madagascar ibis is heavily hunted, despite being legally protected. [ 11 ]
The Madagascar fish eagle is critically endangered , with a breeding population of fewer than 100 pairs. [ 12 ]
The subdesert mesite is restricted to a coastal strip of dry, spiny forest in southwestern Madagascar. [ 13 ]
The crab-plover is a common visitor to the island's west coast. [ 14 ]
The giant coua feeds on the ground, primarily on insects. [ 15 ]
The tiny Madagascar pygmy-kingfisher is found in forests with dense understory.
The scarce and secretive short-legged ground roller is threatened by habitat destruction and degradation. [ 16 ]
The cuckoo-roller is found in forests and woodlands throughout the island.
The white-headed vanga is widespread and found in all types of forest.
The Malagasy paradise-flycatcher is a regional endemic, found in both Madagascar and the Comoros . [ 17 ]
The long-billed bernieria , formerly thought to be a greenbul , is now considered a Malagasy warbler .
There are multiple subspecies of the endemic Madagascar magpie robin found across the island, differing in the amount of black in the adult male's plumage. [ 18 ]
The male souimanga sunbird has iridescent plumage in the breeding season—which is generally from August to January. [ 17 ]
The endemic Madagascar red fody is common and widespread, even in the country's capital, Antananarivo . [ 19 ]