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Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World
Madagascar
This checklist includes all bird species found in Madagascar , based on the best information available at this time. It is based on a wide variety of sources that I collated over many years. I am pleased to offer these checklists as a service to birdwatchers. If you find any error, please do not hesitate to .
The taxonomic order and nomenclature follows Clements, version 2025. If you prefer to view the list based on a different authority, click on one of the list available below. Globally threatened species (status in red) were identified by Birdlife International in Birdlife Data Zone (species).
Bird Checklists of the World is part of Avibase and Bird links to the World, which are designed and maintained by Denis Lepage, and hosted by Birds Canada, which is a co-partner of Birdlife International.
© Denis Lepage 2026
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Country or region: Madagascar [map]
Other names: Republic of Madagascar
Number of species: 316
Number of endemics: 110
Number of breeding endemics: 2
Number of globally threatened species: 46
Number of extinct species: 2
Number of introduced species: 7
Date last reviewed: 2016-07-01
Last modified: 2026-02-17
See also: https://www.africanbirdclub.org/countries/checklists/download
Number of endemics: 110
Number of breeding endemics: 2
Number of globally threatened species: 46
Number of extinct species: 2
Number of introduced species: 7
Date last reviewed: 2016-07-01
Last modified: 2026-02-17
See also: https://www.africanbirdclub.org/countries/checklists/download
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| White-faced Whistling-Duck | Dendrocygna viduata | |
| Fulvous Whistling-Duck | Dendrocygna bicolor | |
| White-backed Duck | Thalassornis leuconotus | |
| Knob-billed Duck | Sarkidiornis melanotos | |
| Egyptian Goose | Alopochen aegyptiaca | Rare/Accidental |
| African Pygmy-Goose | Nettapus auritus | |
| Blue-billed Teal | Spatula hottentota | |
| Meller's Duck | Anas melleri | Endemic Endangered |
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | Introduced species |
| Red-billed Duck | Anas erythrorhyncha | |
| Bernier's Teal | Anas bernieri | Endemic Endangered |
| Madagascar Pochard | Aythya innotata | Endemic Critically endangered |
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| Helmeted Guineafowl | Numida meleagris | Introduced species |
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| Madagascar Partridge | Margaroperdix madagarensis | Endemic |
| Common Quail | Coturnix coturnix | |
| Harlequin Quail | Coturnix delegorguei | |
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| Rock Pigeon | Columba livia | Introduced species |
| Malagasy Turtle-Dove | Nesoenas picturatus | |
| Namaqua Dove | Oena capensis | |
| Zebra Dove | Geopelia striata | Introduced species |
| Madagascar Green-Pigeon | Treron australis | Endemic |
| Madagascar Blue-Pigeon | Alectroenas madagascariensis | Endemic Near-threatened |
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| White-breasted Mesite | Mesitornis variegatus | Endemic Vulnerable |
| Brown Mesite | Mesitornis unicolor | Endemic Vulnerable |
| Subdesert Mesite | Monias benschi | Endemic Vulnerable |
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| Madagascar Sandgrouse | Pterocles personatus | Endemic |
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| Crested Coua | Coua cristata | Endemic |
| Verreaux's Coua | Coua verreauxi | Endemic |
| Blue Coua | Coua caerulea | Endemic |
| Red-capped Coua | Coua ruficeps | Endemic |
| Olive-capped Coua | Coua olivaceiceps | Endemic |
| Red-fronted Coua | Coua reynaudii | Endemic |
| Coquerel's Coua | Coua coquereli | Endemic |
| Running Coua | Coua cursor | Endemic |
| Giant Coua | Coua gigas | Endemic Vulnerable |
| Snail-eating Coua | Coua delalandei | Endemic Extinct |
| Red-breasted Coua | Coua serriana | Endemic |
| Malagasy Coucal | Centropus toulou | |
| Thick-billed Cuckoo | Pachycoccyx audeberti | |
| Madagascar Cuckoo | Cuculus rochii | Breeding endemic |
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| Collared Nightjar | Gactornis enarratus | Endemic Near-threatened |
| Madagascar Nightjar | Caprimulgus madagascariensis | |
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| Madagascar Spinetail | Zoonavena grandidieri | |
| Alpine Swift | Tachymarptis melba | |
| African Swift | Apus barbatus | |
| Malagasy Swift | Apus balstoni | |
| Little Swift | Apus affinis | |
| Malagasy Palm Swift | Cypsiurus gracilis | |
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| Madagascar Forest Rail | Mentocrex kioloides | Endemic |
| Tsingy Forest Rail | Mentocrex beankaensis | Endemic Vulnerable |
| Madagascar Flufftail | Sarothrura insularis | Endemic |
| Slender-billed Flufftail | Sarothrura watersi | Endemic Near-threatened |
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| Madagascar Rail | Rallus madagascariensis | Endemic Vulnerable |
| White-throated Rail | Dryolimnas cuvieri | |
| Corn Crake | Crex crex | Rare/Accidental |
| Spotted Crake | Porzana porzana | Rare/Accidental |
| Eurasian Moorhen | Gallinula chloropus | |
| Red-knobbed Coot | Fulica cristata | |
| Allen's Gallinule | Porphyrio alleni | |
| African Swamphen | Porphyrio madagascariensis | |
| Little Crake | Zapornia parva | Rare/Accidental |
| Baillon's Crake | Zapornia pusilla | |
| Sakalava Rail | Zapornia olivieri | Endemic Endangered |
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| Black-winged Stilt | Himantopus himantopus | |
| Pied Avocet | Recurvirostra avosetta | Rare/Accidental |
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| Black-bellied Plover | Pluvialis squatarola | Vulnerable |
| Pacific Golden-Plover | Pluvialis fulva | Rare/Accidental |
| Common Ringed Plover | Charadrius hiaticula | |
| Three-banded Plover | Thinornis tricollaris | |
| Little Ringed Plover | Thinornis dubius | Rare/Accidental |
| Oriental Plover | Anarhynchus veredus | Rare/Accidental |
| Tibetan Sand-Plover | Anarhynchus atrifrons | |
| Greater Sand-Plover | Anarhynchus leschenaultii | |
| Madagascar Plover | Anarhynchus thoracicus | Endemic Vulnerable |
| Kittlitz's Plover | Anarhynchus pecuarius | |
| White-fronted Plover | Anarhynchus marginatus | |
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| Greater Painted-Snipe | Rostratula benghalensis | |
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| Madagascar Jacana | Actophilornis albinucha | Endemic Endangered |
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| Eurasian Whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus | |
| Eurasian Curlew | Numenius arquata | Near-threatened |
| Bar-tailed Godwit | Limosa lapponica | Near-threatened |
| Black-tailed Godwit | Limosa limosa | Rare/Accidental Near-threatened |
| Madagascar Snipe | Gallinago macrodactyla | Endemic Vulnerable |
| Red-necked Phalarope | Phalaropus lobatus | Rare/Accidental |
| Terek Sandpiper | Xenus cinereus | |
| Common Sandpiper | Actitis hypoleucos | |
| Green Sandpiper | Tringa ochropus | Rare/Accidental |
| Marsh Sandpiper | Tringa stagnatilis | |
| Wood Sandpiper | Tringa glareola | |
| Common Greenshank | Tringa nebularia | |
| Ruddy Turnstone | Arenaria interpres | Near-threatened |
| Ruff | Calidris pugnax | |
| Sharp-tailed Sandpiper | Calidris acuminata | Rare/Accidental Vulnerable |
| Curlew Sandpiper | Calidris ferruginea | Vulnerable |
| Buff-breasted Sandpiper | Calidris subruficollis | Rare/Accidental Vulnerable |
| Sanderling | Calidris alba | |
| Little Stint | Calidris minuta | |
| Pectoral Sandpiper | Calidris melanotos | Rare/Accidental |
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| Madagascar Buttonquail | Turnix nigricollis | Endemic |
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| Crab-Plover | Dromas ardeola | |
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| Madagascar Pratincole | Glareola ocularis | Breeding endemic Near-threatened |
| Oriental Pratincole | Glareola maldivarum | Rare/Accidental |
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| Long-tailed Jaeger | Stercorarius longicaudus | Rare/Accidental |
| Parasitic Jaeger | Stercorarius parasiticus | Rare/Accidental |
| Pomarine Jaeger | Stercorarius pomarinus | Rare/Accidental |
| Brown Skua | Stercorarius antarcticus | Rare/Accidental |
| South Polar Skua | Stercorarius maccormicki | Rare/Accidental |
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| Gray-hooded Gull | Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus | |
| Sooty Gull | Ichthyaetus hemprichii | Rare/Accidental |
| Kelp Gull | Larus dominicanus | |
| Blue-billed White-Tern | Gygis candida | Rare/Accidental |
| Brown Noddy | Anous stolidus | |
| Lesser Noddy | Anous tenuirostris | |
| Sooty Tern | Onychoprion fuscatus | |
| Bridled Tern | Onychoprion anaethetus | |
| Little Tern | Sternula albifrons | Rare/Accidental |
| Saunders's Tern | Sternula saundersi | |
| Gull-billed Tern | Gelochelidon nilotica | Rare/Accidental |
| Caspian Tern | Hydroprogne caspia | |
| Whiskered Tern | Chlidonias hybrida | |
| Black Tern | Chlidonias niger | Rare/Accidental |
| White-winged Tern | Chlidonias leucopterus | |
| Common Tern | Sterna hirundo | |
| Black-naped Tern | Sterna sumatrana | |
| Roseate Tern | Sterna dougallii | |
| Sandwich Tern | Thalasseus sandvicensis | |
| Lesser Crested Tern | Thalasseus bengalensis | |
| Great Crested Tern | Thalasseus bergii | |
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| Greater Flamingo | Phoenicopterus roseus | |
| Lesser Flamingo | Phoeniconaias minor | Near-threatened |
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| Alaotra Grebe | Tachybaptus rufolavatus | Endemic Extinct |
| Little Grebe | Tachybaptus ruficollis | |
| Madagascar Grebe | Tachybaptus pelzelnii | Endemic Endangered |
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| White-tailed Tropicbird | Phaethon lepturus | |
| Red-billed Tropicbird | Phaethon aethereus | Rare/Accidental |
| Red-tailed Tropicbird | Phaethon rubricauda | |
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| Western Rockhopper Penguin | Eudyptes chrysocome | Rare/Accidental |
| Moseley's Rockhopper Penguin | Eudyptes moseleyi | Rare/Accidental Endangered |
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| Snowy Albatross | Diomedea exulans | Rare/Accidental Vulnerable |
| Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross | Thalassarche carteri | Endangered |
| Salvin's Albatross | Thalassarche salvini | Vulnerable |
| Black-browed Albatross | Thalassarche melanophris | Rare/Accidental |
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| Wilson's Storm-Petrel | Oceanites oceanicus | |
| White-faced Storm-Petrel | Pelagodroma marina | Rare/Accidental |
| White-bellied Storm-Petrel | Fregetta grallaria | |
| Black-bellied Storm-Petrel | Fregetta tropica | |
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| Southern Giant-Petrel | Macronectes giganteus | |
| Pintado Petrel | Daption capense | Rare/Accidental |
| Great-winged Petrel | Pterodroma macroptera | |
| Soft-plumaged Petrel | Pterodroma mollis | |
| Barau's Petrel | Pterodroma baraui | Endangered |
| Broad-billed Prion | Pachyptila vittata | Rare/Accidental |
| Salvin's Prion | Pachyptila salvini | Rare/Accidental |
| Bulwer's Petrel | Bulweria bulwerii | |
| Jouanin's Petrel | Bulweria fallax | Rare/Accidental Near-threatened |
| Cory's Shearwater | Calonectris borealis | |
| Scopoli's Shearwater | Calonectris diomedea | |
| Flesh-footed Shearwater | Ardenna carneipes | Near-threatened |
| Wedge-tailed Shearwater | Ardenna pacifica | |
| Tropical Shearwater | Puffinus bailloni | |
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| African Openbill | Anastomus lamelligerus | |
| Yellow-billed Stork | Mycteria ibis | |
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| Lesser Frigatebird | Fregata ariel | |
| Great Frigatebird | Fregata minor | |
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| Red-footed Booby | Sula sula | |
| Brown Booby | Sula leucogaster | |
| Masked Booby | Sula dactylatra | Rare/Accidental |
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| African Darter | Anhinga rufa | |
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| Reed Cormorant | Microcarbo africanus | |
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| Glossy Ibis | Plegadis falcinellus | |
| Madagascar Ibis | Lophotibis cristata | Endemic Vulnerable |
| African Sacred Ibis | Threskiornis aethiopicus | Rare/Accidental |
| Malagasy Sacred Ibis | Threskiornis bernieri | Endangered |
| African Spoonbill | Platalea alba | |
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| Little Bittern | Botaurus minutus | |
| Black-crowned Night Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | |
| Black Heron | Egretta ardesiaca | |
| Little Egret | Egretta garzetta | |
| Western Reef-Heron | Egretta gularis | Rare/Accidental |
| Little Heron | Butorides atricapilla | |
| Squacco Heron | Ardeola ralloides | |
| Malagasy Pond-Heron | Ardeola idae | Endangered |
| Western Cattle-Egret | Ardea ibis | |
| Great Egret | Ardea alba | |
| Gray Heron | Ardea cinerea | |
| Purple Heron | Ardea purpurea | |
| Humblot's Heron | Ardea humbloti | Endemic Endangered |
| Black-headed Heron | Ardea melanocephala | Rare/Accidental |
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| Hamerkop | Scopus umbretta | |
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| Pink-backed Pelican | Pelecanus rufescens | Rare/Accidental |
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| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | Rare/Accidental |
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| Black-winged Kite | Elanus caeruleus | Rare/Accidental |
| African Harrier-Hawk | Polyboroides typus | |
| Madagascar Harrier-Hawk | Polyboroides radiatus | Endemic |
| Madagascar Serpent-Eagle | Eutriorchis astur | Endemic Endangered |
| Madagascar Cuckoo-Hawk | Aviceda madagascariensis | Endemic |
| Long-crested Eagle | Lophaetus occipitalis | Rare/Accidental |
| Bat Hawk | Macheiramphus alcinus | |
| Frances's Sparrowhawk | Tachyspiza francesiae | |
| Madagascar Sparrowhawk | Accipiter madagascariensis | Endemic Near-threatened |
| Henst's Goshawk | Astur henstii | Endemic Vulnerable |
| Western Marsh Harrier | Circus aeruginosus | Rare/Accidental |
| Malagasy Harrier | Circus macrosceles | Endangered |
| Pallid Harrier | Circus macrourus | Rare/Accidental Near-threatened |
| Black Kite | Milvus migrans | |
| Madagascar Fish-Eagle | Icthyophaga vociferoides | Endemic Critically endangered |
| Madagascar Buzzard | Buteo brachypterus | Endemic |
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| Western Barn Owl | Tyto alba | |
| Red Owl | Tyto soumagnei | Endemic Vulnerable |
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| African Scops-Owl | Otus senegalensis | Rare/Accidental |
| Madagascar Scops-Owl | Otus rutilus | |
| White-browed Owl | Athene superciliaris | Endemic |
| Madagascar Owl | Asio madagascariensis | Endemic |
| Marsh Owl | Asio capensis | |
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| Cuckoo-roller | Leptosomus discolor | |
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| Common Hoopoe | Upupa epops | |
| Madagascar Hoopoe | Upupa marginata | Endemic |
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| Olive Bee-eater | Merops superciliosus | |
| European Bee-eater | Merops apiaster | Rare/Accidental |
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| Malagasy Kingfisher | Corythornis vintsioides | |
| Madagascar Pygmy Kingfisher | Corythornis madagascariensis | Endemic |
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| Broad-billed Roller | Eurystomus glaucurus | |
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| Scaly Ground-Roller | Geobiastes squamiger | Endemic Vulnerable |
| Short-legged Ground-Roller | Brachypteracias leptosomus | Endemic Vulnerable |
| Long-tailed Ground-Roller | Uratelornis chimaera | Endemic Vulnerable |
| Pitta-like Ground-Roller | Atelornis pittoides | Endemic |
| Rufous-headed Ground-Roller | Atelornis crossleyi | Endemic Near-threatened |
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| Malagasy Kestrel | Falco newtoni | |
| Banded Kestrel | Falco zoniventris | Endemic |
| Eleonora's Falcon | Falco eleonorae | |
| Sooty Falcon | Falco concolor | Vulnerable |
| Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus | |
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| Greater Vasa Parrot | Coracopsis vasa | |
| Lesser Vasa Parrot | Coracopsis nigra | Vulnerable |
| Gray-headed Lovebird | Agapornis canus | Endemic |
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| Velvet Asity | Philepitta castanea | Endemic |
| Schlegel's Asity | Philepitta schlegeli | Endemic Vulnerable |
| Common Sunbird-Asity | Neodrepanis coruscans | Endemic |
| Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asity | Neodrepanis hypoxantha | Endemic Vulnerable |
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| Madagascar Cuckooshrike | Ceblepyris cinereus | Endemic |
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| Eurasian Golden Oriole | Oriolus oriolus | Rare/Accidental |
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| Archbold's Newtonia | Newtonia archboldi | Endemic |
| Common Newtonia | Newtonia brunneicauda | Endemic |
| Dark Newtonia | Newtonia amphichroa | Endemic |
| Red-tailed Newtonia | Newtonia fanovanae | Endemic Vulnerable |
| Tylas Vanga | Tylas eduardi | Endemic Near-threatened |
| Red-tailed Vanga | Calicalicus madagascariensis | Endemic |
| Red-shouldered Vanga | Calicalicus rufocarpalis | Endemic Vulnerable |
| Nuthatch-Vanga | Hypositta corallirostris | Endemic Near-threatened |
| Chabert Vanga | Leptopterus chabert | Endemic |
| Crossley's Vanga | Mystacornis crossleyi | Endemic Near-threatened |
| Madagascar Blue Vanga | Cyanolanius madagascarinus | Endemic Near-threatened |
| Hook-billed Vanga | Vanga curvirostris | Endemic |
| Ward's Vanga | Pseudobias wardi | Endemic Near-threatened |
| Rufous Vanga | Schetba rufa | Endemic Near-threatened |
| Helmet Vanga | Euryceros prevostii | Endemic Endangered |
| Bernier's Vanga | Oriolia bernieri | Endemic Endangered |
| Sickle-billed Vanga | Falculea palliata | Endemic |
| White-headed Vanga | Artamella viridis | Endemic |
| Pollen's Vanga | Xenopirostris polleni | Endemic Vulnerable |
| Lafresnaye's Vanga | Xenopirostris xenopirostris | Endemic Near-threatened |
| Van Dam's Vanga | Xenopirostris damii | Endemic Vulnerable |
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| Crested Drongo | Dicrurus forficatus | |
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| Malagasy Paradise-Flycatcher | Terpsiphone mutata | |
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| House Crow | Corvus splendens | Rare/Accidental |
| Pied Crow | Corvus albus | |
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| Madagascar Lark | Eremopterix hova | Endemic |
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| Common Jery | Neomixis tenella | Endemic |
| Green Jery | Neomixis viridis | Endemic Near-threatened |
| Stripe-throated Jery | Neomixis striatigula | Endemic |
| Madagascar Cisticola | Cisticola cherina | |
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| Malagasy Brush-Warbler | Nesillas typica | |
| Subdesert Brush-Warbler | Nesillas lantzii | Endemic |
| Madagascar Swamp Warbler | Acrocephalus newtoni | Endemic |
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| Gray Emutail | Bradypterus seebohmi | Endemic |
| Brown Emutail | Bradypterus brunneus | Endemic |
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| White-throated Oxylabes | Oxylabes madagascariensis | Endemic Near-threatened |
| Long-billed Bernieria | Bernieria madagascariensis | Endemic Near-threatened |
| Cryptic Warbler | Cryptosylvicola randrianasoloi | Endemic |
| Wedge-tailed Jery | Hartertula flavoviridis | Endemic Near-threatened |
| Thamnornis | Thamnornis chloropetoides | Endemic |
| Madagascar Yellowbrow | Crossleyia xanthophrys | Endemic |
| Dusky Tetraka | Crossleyia tenebrosa | Endemic Data deficient |
| Spectacled Tetraka | Xanthomixis zosterops | Endemic Near-threatened |
| Appert's Tetraka | Xanthomixis apperti | Endemic Vulnerable |
| Gray-crowned Tetraka | Xanthomixis cinereiceps | Near-threatened |
| Rand's Warbler | Randia pseudozosterops | Endemic Near-threatened |
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| Mascarene Martin | Phedina borbonica | |
| Madagascar Martin | Riparia cowani | Endemic |
| Bank Swallow | Riparia riparia | Rare/Accidental |
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | Rare/Accidental |
| Western House-Martin | Delichon urbicum | Rare/Accidental |
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| Malagasy Bulbul | Hypsipetes madagascariensis | |
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| Malagasy White-eye | Zosterops maderaspatanus | |
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| Wattled Starling | Creatophora cinerea | Rare/Accidental |
| Common Myna | Acridotheres tristis | Introduced species |
| Madagascar Starling | Hartlaubius auratus | Endemic |
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| Spotted Flycatcher | Muscicapa striata | Rare/Accidental |
| Madagascar Magpie-Robin | Copsychus albospecularis | Endemic |
| Littoral Rock-Thrush | Monticola imerina | Endemic |
| Amber Mountain Rock-Thrush | Monticola erythronotus | Endemic Near-threatened |
| Forest Rock-Thrush | Monticola sharpei | |
| African Stonechat | Saxicola torquatus | |
| Northern Wheatear | Oenanthe oenanthe | Rare/Accidental |
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| Souimanga Sunbird | Cinnyris sovimanga | |
| Malagasy Sunbird | Cinnyris notatus | |
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| Nelicourvi Weaver | Ploceus nelicourvi | Endemic |
| Sakalava Weaver | Ploceus sakalava | Endemic |
| Red Fody | Foudia madagascariensis | Endemic |
| Forest Fody | Foudia omissa | Endemic |
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| Madagascar Munia | Lepidopygia nana | Endemic |
| Common Waxbill | Estrilda astrild | Introduced species |
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| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Introduced species |
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| Madagascar Wagtail | Motacilla flaviventris | Endemic |
| White Wagtail | Motacilla alba | Rare/Accidental |
References (partial list)
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