Birds of Ambondrolava mangrove complex, southwest Madagascar

Abstract

Here we present the first bird species list for Ambondrolava (23°15’41” S, 43°37’42” E), a mangrove and freshwater wetland complex in dry southwest Madagascar. Sixty-nine species from 36 families were recorded, of which 14 species are endemic to Madagascar and 13 are endemic to the Madagascar region. Two globally threatened species were recorded: Charadrius thoracicus (Vulnerable) and Circus macrosceles (Vulnerable). With 36 species, Ambondrolava has the highest known wetland bird species diversity of any site in south and southwest Madagascar.