Madagascar November 2012 - January 2013, Mantadia National Park

With Luc (see previous post) we organised a day trip to Mantadia national park, which encompromises better forests than Andasibe national park, for it is primairy rainforest instead of decent quality secondary forest. This means that several species are present here, that are absent or very difficult in Andasibe national park. A day trip to the Mantadia national park can be organised at the Andasibe national park office or the Mitsinjo special reserve office (see next post) and costs 90.000 Ariary, but we found a driver for 80.000 Ariary through Luc. Another option would be walking the more than 15 km, but for birders this is barely an option for the first hours of daylight would be missed.

We enjoyed fairly good birding at different sites in the national parks with different altitudes (another advantage over walking) and species observed included: Madagascar Crested Ibis, Henst's Goshawk, Frances' Sparrowhawk, Red-fronted Coua, Madagascar Long-eared Owl (finally!), Collared Nightjar, Rufous-headed Ground Roller, Pitta-like Ground Roller, Velvet Asity, Crossley's Babbler, Forest Rock Thrush, Wedge-tailed Jery, Tylas and Nuthatch Vanga. Frustratingly we did not see the much sought after Scaly Ground Roller, but we had to be content with just two calls responding to the tape. More frustratingly even because this is very unusual ground roller behaviour and we searched for the damned bird for two days in Marojejy and for four days in Masoala... Mammals recorded in Mantadia included: Indri, Diademed Sifaka (wild ones, not like the translocated ones in Andasibe National Park), Red-bellied Lemur and White-tailed Tree Rat.

Madagascar Wood Rail (Canirallus kioloides)

Rufous-headed Ground Roller (Atelornis crossleyi)

Madagascar Long-eared Owl (Asio madagascariensis)

Overall Mantadia is an addition worth considering to Andasibe national park, for the forest is amazing, but if all key birds were seen in Masoala, it is not necessary to do so. Unfortunately we were not that lucky with every species...