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Home , Blue vanga, Calicalicus, Chabert vanga, Common newtonia, Helmet vanga, Newtonia (bird)

the of madagascar

Different by design

Text & photographs by Nick Garbutt

Islands are often peculiar and quirky. It’s their idiosyncrasies that make them special. While continental hotspots may support the greatest diversity of , islands are generally the home of more unusual : they are

the realms of endemics. 

The most spectacular member of the , the Helmet is also one of the most predatory. Its massive beak is a formidable weapon and can subdue prey like chameleons, other lizards and frogs. Quite why the beak is such a vivid blue is more of a mystery.

28 vangas adagascar is a classic case in to occupy niches filled in other parts of the point. The island has perhaps world by woodpeckers, wood-hoopoes, Msix endemic families (depend- , tits and even . ing on the followed), including Today, this variety is particularly mani- such oddities as the ground-rollers (see fested in their beak shapes – short and Masoala NP Vol. 5, No. 2), mesites (variously consid- neat, long and probing, thickset and heavy Ampijoroa ered rails, pigeons or ), asities – but also in their body size and . and the equally enigmatic cuckoo-roller. So dramatic has been their diversification madagascar There are 37 regionally endemic genera, that on the face of it the only common many of which comprise only a single spe- feature the vangas share is their co-habita- Mantadia NP cies, and out of a total of 204 breeding tion of Madagascar. Antananarivo Andasibe species on the island, a staggering 120 are Although this spectacular radiation of Morondava found nowhere else. -like birds has long been recognised, The vangas are perhaps the island’s most the exact composition of the family has Ranomafana NP celebrated endemic family (Vangidae) and been discussed, challenged and disputed provide an excellent example of adaptive many times over. The fundamental diffi- radiation – the process whereby a small culty has been to demonstrate a theme of Ifaty Forest stock of founders becomes isolated and morphological traits to link such a diverse is then driven by evolution to diversify group and confirm a common ancestry. spectacularly. The founding species in this case may have resembled something like a f you were to flick through one of the present-day helmet-shrike and when they current field guides to the birds of became established on Madagascar there IMadagascar, it would probably list a were probably few other birds in residence. total of 15 vanga species. All are found Seizing the opportunity, the vangas evolved only on Madagascar (with the exception of the Cyanolanius madagascar- iensis, which also occurs on the ) and all are native forest-dwellers that have largely been unable to adapt to occasionally including fruit in their diet, A variation is those vangas that com- Opposite Found throughout the drier altered by human intervention. Even a and other, larger species like Hook-billed bine regular gleaning with some aerial forest areas, the Sickle-billed Vanga is a cursory glance at the plates would illus- Vanga Vanga curvirostris and hunting manoeuvres, and exponents of noisy species regularly encountered in trate the extent of their diversity, from the Euryceros prevostii also tackling small verte- this method include Chabert’s Vanga and flocks of up to a dozen birds (and even garrulous Sickle-billed Vanga Falculea pallia- brate prey from time to time. What is the Tylas eduardi. The most up to 40 have been recorded). ta to the diminutive Vanga interesting is the range of methods and spectacular, however, is the Blue Vanga, Hypositta corallirostris, at 13–14 centimetres techniques that different family members not only because of the male’s outrageous Above One of three species of vanga the smallest member of the family. As its employ to find and predate their prey. It is electric-blue plumage, but also because of belonging to the , name implies, this species bears an uncan- this range of strategies, in combination its ability to winkle from clusters of Pollen’s Vanga inhabits the ny likeness to true nuthatches, and in fact with variation in target prey, that has led leaves while hanging upside-down. I’ve of the east, although, somewhat was originally classified as one. to the evolution of such variation in beak watched individuals return repeatedly to mysteriously, it is more common in the However, recent DNA analysis has not size and design. the ends of branches and perform intri- southern portion of the belt only provided confirmation that the Recent field studies in Madagascar have cate aerobatics in to finally remove a than in the north. Ranomafana various members of the family do indeed begun to provide some information on juicy morsel. National Park is the best place to see share a common ancestry but also raises vanga feeding ecology. Broadly speaking, Many of the larger vangas, like Hook- this species. the distinct possibility that the group is five sub-groups emerge which each adopt billed, Helmet and the far more diverse than was previously a different foraging strategy. Schetba rufa are primarily aerial specialists: thought. This molecular evidence suggests The smaller species, like Red-tailed their hunting technique is to sit and wait that several other endemic Malagasy birds Vanga madagascariensis, the in the canopy or understorey, constantly may in fact also belong to the vanga recently described Red-shouldered Vanga searching the branches and foliage for radiation. These include Cross­ley’s Babbler C. rufocarpalis and , are potential victims. Once prey is located Mystacornis crossleyi, Ward’s Flycatcher primarily ‘gleaners’ that search for and they swoop in to snatch and claim their Pseudobias wardi and Common gather their prey when hopping around meal. While it is likely that most of these Newtonia brunneicauda. If the latter is con- branches. The Nuthatch Vanga is the most hunts take place in the canopy, the Rufous firmed, the logical conclusion would be specialised: it always faces ‘head up’ and Vanga is also known to forage at or around that the Dark Newtonia N. amphichroa and ascends the boles and branches of large ground level. It has even been seen captur- Archbold’s Newtonia N. archboldi would trees, scouring the bark. It is often aggres- ing prey flushed by ground-feeding birds also be vangas. sive towards conspecifics, frequently chas- such as White-breasted Mesites pecking All vangas are primarily insectivorous, ing intruders away. The Newtonia species through leaf-litter. with some species such as the Blue Vanga would also fall into this group, were they However, the Hook-billed and Helmet and Chabert’s Vanga Leptopterus chabert to be reclassified as vangas. vangas are perhaps the most classically 

30 vangas africa – birds & birding october/november 2004 vangas 31 predatory members of the family and parents were away from the nest. On their forest of the south and south-west. their beaks are correspondingly large and return the parents’ beaks were filled with Somewhat mysteriously, Van Dam’s Vanga powerful. A couple of years ago in tasty morsels that were unceremoniously X. damii, probably the most endangered Ranomafana National Park I found a leaf- rammed down the throat of an eager member of the family, is found only at tailed gecko lying on a forest path and chick. It was, however, the range of prey two widely separate localities: the dry screaming in the most blood-curdling items that surprised me. As expected, large deciduous forests around Ankarafantsika fashion imaginable. The reason was obvi- insects like katydids, stick insects and in the north-west and the more humid ous: it had lost its tail and a drop of scarlet mantises featured heavily, but other inver- deciduous forests at Analamera in the far blood oozed from the stump that remained. tebrates included centipedes and even a north-east. I looked around the nearby vegetation scorpion. Less frequently, larger vertebrate With so many varied ways of finding and soon saw the culprit for the gecko’s prey items appeared on the menu, includ- food it is not surprising that different van- injury – a Hook-billed Vanga sat on a ing forest floor-dwelling stump-tailed cha- gas often forage in concert. Mixed feeding branch some 10 metres away, with the meleons (Brookesia spp.) as well as other parties of birds characterise many tropical gecko’s tail in its beak. Before swallowing small chameleons, a very small snake (pos- forests and in Madagascar vangas are often it, the vanga knocked the still-twitching sibly a thread snake) and numerous small the principal constituents of such flocks. tail several times against the branch. frogs, including a number of brightly In these aggregations, different species The then continued to search the coloured species I’d not seen before. move through the canopy at slightly dif- forest-floor in typical fashion – tilting its Perhaps the most specialised member of head from side to side – before giving up the family is the Sickle-billed Vanga, which and flying back up the trail and out of fills the niche occupied by woodpeckers sight. I was just about to release the gecko, and wood-hoopoes on mainland Africa. It when the vanga reappeared and again uses its long decurved beak to probe began systematically searching the forest- beneath bark and in crevices for floor and understorey. Not wanting to grubs and other invertebrates. It is often condemn the gecko, I waited for a few encountered in noisy flocks of various All [vangas] are native forest- minutes until the vanga once more disap- sizes (sometimes more than a dozen birds), peared before releasing the gecko onto the their characteristic plaintive cries and trunk of a small tree. It initially sat motion- cackling calls being characteristic sounds dwellers that have largely been less and then began to climb slowly of the drier forests they inhabit. In fact, upwards to a height of around four metres one of its Malagasy names, Tsiatsiaka, unable to adapt to habitats before it stopped. roughly translates as ‘cry-baby bird’. I retreated to watch. A couple of min- utes later the vanga returned to resume ther large vangas combine more altered by human intervention the search, cocking its head regularly to generalised gleaning techniques alter its angle of view. Twice the bird Owith active probing beneath changed position on its perch. It then flew bark. These include common and wide- to another perch no more than five metres spread species like the White-headed from the gecko and repeated the proce- Vanga Artamella viridis and rare, enigmatic dure. Within 30 seconds it spotted the birds like Bernier’s Vanga Oriolia bernieri, a gecko and swooped in to pluck the unfor- species about which very little is known. tunate lizard from the tree trunk, seem- Found primarily in the undisturbed rain- ingly grabbing it by the head. The gecko forests of the north-eastern part of the called violently again and the vanga took country, it has been observed foraging it to a perch and beat it several times around the fronds of palms and Pandanus ferent levels, all feeding in slightly differ- Many vanga species are found both in against the branch. It then flew off up the trees, but also on tree trunks in a rather ent ways. Some birds will disturb and flush dry forests of the west and in rainforests trail, carrying the lizard in its beak by the destructive manner, reminiscent of a prey that others are able to take advantage of the east, for instance, Blue, Rufous, head/neck. woodpecker. To my knowledge, the nest- of, with an overall mutual benefit. Hook-billed, and White-headed vangas More recently, in the forests of the ing behaviour of Bernier’s Vanga remains This habit makes vanga-watching quick- (opposite, clockwise from top left). Masoala Peninsula I had the enviable completely unknown. fire and exciting at times and the variety However, Lafresnaye’s Vanga (above) is opportunity to watch a pair of Helmet Also in this group are three species from of different vanga species in a flock can be limited to the arid spiny forest areas of Vangas at their nest, bringing food to their the genus Xenopirostris. All are thrush-sized considerable. One flock I encountered on the south and south-west. young chicks. With a little careful man- birds with thickset, laterally flattened the Masoala Peninsula contained every oeuvring, I was able to position myself beaks that are used in various ways to vanga found in the area (together with only a few metres from the nest, giving prise, strip and flake away the bark from other species) and over the course of a myself an unimpeded view. What I saw dead trees. Not surprisingly, these three memorable 10-minute period I was able to during the course of several hours was species have discrete ranges. Pollen’s Vanga observe each and every one: Helmet, quite remarkable. X. polleni is a rainforest bird found mainly Bernier’s, Rufous, Nuthatch, Blue, Hook- The adults took turns at incubating in the south-east, whereas Lafres-naye’s billed, White-headed, Chabert’s, Tylas and their brood, but for lengthy periods both Vanga X. xenopirostris lives in the arid spiny Red-tailed. 

32 vangas africa – birds & birding october/november 2004 vangas 33 Top Vanga Sites

These are the parks and reserves I believe to be Madagascar’s very one of only two locations for Van Dam’s Vanga and perhaps the best place to best, not only for the diversity of their vangas, but also for the see Rufous Vanga. Other visible rare quality of the other bird- and wildlife-watching opportunities endemics include White-breasted and overall experience they offer. Mesite, Schlegel’s Asity and Madagascar Fish Eagle. Many lemurs are very approachable and reptiles are also Eastern Rainforest Rufous, Nuthatch, Blue, Hook-billed, abundant, especially after rain. Andasibe–Mantadia National Park White-headed, Tylas and Red-tailed. It The most accessible rainforest reserve – is also the only place to see red-ruffed Southern Spiny Forest now arguably the island’s best – with lemurs, with plenty of reptiles and frogs Ifaty Forest good accommodation on its doorstep. visible too. The facilities are limited, the Spectacular spiny forest that is critically A top-notch place for general bird- walking can be tough and it is often threatened by cutting for charcoal. The watching, especially for rainforest spe- very wet. local speciality is Lafresnaye’s Vanga cials like ground-rollers. Many vangas (and also Long-tailed Ground-Roller, are also to be seen (Nuthatch, Blue, Ranomafana National Park Sub-Desert Mesite and Running Coua). White-headed, Tylas and Red-tailed). The only accessible rainforest area in Other vangas include Sickle-billed, Lemurs, including indris and brown the south-east and one of the best gen- White-headed and Red-tailed. There are lemurs, are easily seen and increasingly eral birdwatching sites on the island. several good beachfront hotels and too, the diademed sifaka. There are also This is the best place to see Pollen’s lodges in the vicinity. lots of snakes, chameleons and frogs. Vanga and is also good for Tylas, White- headed, Blue and Hook-billed vangas. For further information on wildlife tours to Masoala National Park There are comfortable lodges in the Madagascar, contact Nick Garbutt, www. This is the largest remaining expanse of nearby village and a campsite close to nickgarbutt.com; e-mail nick@nickgar- lowland rainforest on the island and is the entrance. butt.com fabulous for a number of the rare endemics like Helmet and Bernier’s Western Dry Deciduous Forest vangas, various ground-rollers, and Ampijoroa Forest Above Ifaty is one of the best places Madagascar Serpent Eagle and Red This is the best fragment of accessible to see a diversity of different vangas; Owl. Other, more common vangas are western deciduous forest remaining and no fewer than six species can easily also regularly seen, including the birding in general is first rate. This is be observed.

34 vangas africa – birds & birding