1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 11 ADAGASCARADAGASCAR 11 12 M 12 13 13 14 Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world, covering almost 14 15 600 000 square kilometres and supporting some 13.5 million people. 15 16 16 17 The island separated from the African mainland at least 120 million years ago and, since 17 18 18 19 that time, evolution has shaped a spectacular and unique array of plant and species. 19 20 The majority of these are found nowhere else in the world, making Madagascar one of the 20 21 21 22 most important treasure troves of biodiversity on the planet. For example, every single species 22 23 23 24 of primate is endemic, and only Brazil and Indonesia can boast more species. 24 25 Even among the , perhaps the most prodigious travellers of all the 25 26 26 27 vertebrates, more than 50 per cent of Madagascar’s 200 resident 27 28 28 species are found nowhere else. 29 29 30 The first humans arrived on Madagascar as recently as 2 000 years ago. 30 31 31 32 But in this short time they have had a major impact on the island’s 32 33 landscapes, primarily through the use of fire that has transformed many 33 34 34 35 of the original forests into grasslands, and this continues today. 35 36 36 37 Until the 17th century, before they were hunted to extinction, giant Elephant Birds, 37 38 some weighing as much as 500 kilograms, roamed the landscape. 38 39 39 40 In the past 100 years, however, there has only been one confirmed extinction, 40 41 41 Coua delalandei 42 that of the Snail-eating Coua . 42 43 Today, 22 per cent of Madagascar’s birds – almost all forest or wetland species – 43 44 44 45 are listed as Red Data Book species. 45 46 46 The true wealth of Madagascar’s wildlife is still not fully known – 47 47 48 new species of lemurs have been discovered in the past 15 years and a new species of warbler 48 49 49 50 was described to science as recently as 1995. Some species have doubtless 50 51 dwindled to extinction without their existence ever being known. 51 52 52 53 Despite these ominous conservation overtones, the island’s remaining natural , 53 54 54 55 from the lowland rainforests of the north-east to the arid woodland and 55 56 thorn scrub of the south-east, are breathtaking. So too are the birds and that 56 57 57 58 inhabit them. The photographs and articles in this issue of Africa – Birds & Birding 58 59 59 60 should tempt any naturalist who has not yet done so to experience the uniqueness of this 60 61 biological wonderland, so close to Africa yet so utterly different.  61 62 62 63 63 64 64 65 Bottle baobabs, Ifaty forest, south-west Madagascar. 65 Nick Garbutt

  1 2 Ma d a g a s c a r ’s 3 4 g r o u n d r o l l e r s 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 EWELS 17 18 JJ 19 AMONG THE 20 21 22 23 SHADOWS 24 25 26 Te x t a n d p h o t o g r a p h s b y Ni c k Ga r b u tt 27 28 29 30 31 Much as I like birds and thoroughly enjoy 32 33 birdwatching, I could never really describe myself 34 as a ‘birdy’ person. 35 36 The prospect of catching a glimpse of a ‘crested 37 38 this’ or ‘yellow-breasted that’ just 39 isn’t sufficient incentive to abandon a warm bed 40 41 before dawn. Mammals are altogether different: I’ll 42 43 bolt from beneath the blankets at the slightest 44 45 inkling of seeing a tiger in India, an aardvark in 46 Africa or indri in Madagascar. 47 48 However, one group of birds 49 50 from my favourite island, Madagascar, 51 52 has captivated me like no other – 53 effectively becoming ‘honorary mammals’. 54 55 And just like mammals, the ground rollers (family 56 57 Brachypteraciidae) are frustratingly furtive, shy, 58 59 skulking and elusive.  60 61 62 The Long-tailed occurs in spiny forest, the only 63 member of the family not found in rainforest areas. 64 65

52 ground rollers africa – birds & birding APRIL/maY 2000 ground rollers 53  1 times the birds skulked around the 1 2 periphery and remained concealed. My 2 3 frustration levels grew. But eventually 3 4 one ran out into the open, paused in a 4 5 pool of dramatic golden light, and the 5 6 shot was in the can. 6 7 It was immediately obvious the four 7 8 Right & below The 8 rainforest species (Short-legged, Scaly, electric coloration of 9 Pitta-like and Rufous-headed) were 9 10 the Pitta-like Ground Roller 10 going to present far more of a challenge. 11 provides a sharp contrast 11 Outside the breeding season, they rarely 12 to its gloomy forest . 12 if ever sing, so are virtually impossible 13 The bird on the right is 13 to locate. But between September and 14 shown leaving its nesting 14 15 December males and females attract one burrow in the ground. 15 16 another with typically low, resonant, 16 17 guttural calls – most often a series of 17 18 ‘whoops’, ‘boos’ and ‘co-oors’! 18 19 Mantadia National Park in the heart 19 20 of the eastern rainforest belt is one of 20 21 my favourite places in Madagascar. It’s 21 22 also prime ground roller habitat and 22 23 one of the few places all four rainforest 23 24 species can be seen (even in a single day 24 25 if you’re very lucky). The understorey is 25 26 often thick and tangled, with precious 26 27 few open areas where clear views might 27 28 be possible. With the invaluable help of 28 29 renowned local guide and long-time 29 30 friend Maurice Besoa, the search for nest 30 31 burrows began. Through experience, 31 32 Besoa has learned the best areas to tar- 32 33 33 get for each species. He’s also a dab 34 34 hand at imitating their calls and pin- 35 35 pointing the birds’ responses. 36 36 During an early-morning walk look- 37 37 38 ing for lemurs, a surprise encounter with 38 39 a Short-legged Ground Roller gave me 39 40 my first chance. The bird behaved 40 41 The smallest of the ground rollers, the Rufous-headed Ground Roller is a secretive and little-known species. impeccably, sitting beautifully out in 41 42 the open on a well-lit branch calling 42 43 I had visited Madagascar several times an instant and unforgettable impres- My first stop was Ifaty on the south- away to its heart’s content; a perfect 43 44 before I saw my first ground roller, sion. It continued to call, each time west coast. Here, in the ‘other-worldly’ opportunity. But in the excitement of 44 45 Ialthough to be fair I hadn’t really been repeating the movements of someone habitat that is Madagascar’s spiny forest, the moment I bungled it – no tripod, 45 46 looking, preferring to concentrate my retching thin air, yet at the same time lives the Long-tailed Ground Roller. Its wobbly hands, incorrect exposure. 46 47 efforts towards mammals and . seemingly throwing its voice. A clever entire population is confined to a strip Everything went wrong and the photo- 47 48 It happened during a morning walk in trick – I remained convinced the sound of this forest no more than 150 kilome- graphs all finished in the bin. 48 49 the rainforests of Ranomafana. I heard was coming from a completely differ- tres north to south and 40 kilometres However, Besoa’s skill, long searches 49 50 a strange, almost haunting call coming ent direction. east to west. Spiny forest is more open and perseverance eventually paid divi- gloom of the forest, flash was essential and although we couldn’t pinpoint the 50 51 from the depths of a dense patch of Buoyed and enthused by the experi- than rainforest, so I assumed this would dends with the discovery of a pair of but fortunately seemed to have no effect nest, our observations suggested that the 51 52 undergrowth and I couldn’t resist ence, I began to seek out ground rollers be the easiest species to photograph. nesting Pitta-like Ground Rollers. From on the birds’ behaviour. With time they birds foraged along regular routes. 52 53 investigating. After several minutes more often, although it took two more Finding a nest burrow was obviously the a distance, I watched the birds fly in tolerated me at close quarters, but were Choosing a likely spot, I set up my gear 53 54 grubbing around fruitlessly on the for- years before I notched up all five spe- key to locating the birds, but inevitably and out of their nest for several hours still devilishly difficult to keep in the and waited. It’s amazing how quickly 12 54 55 est floor, I concluded my ears were cies. Being a photographer, I soon rea- nests were in the heart of a thicket over a couple of days. When leaving, viewfinder. Five days’ effort eventually hours of splendid isolation in a rainfor- 55 56 56 playing tricks on me. Abandoning my lised seeing them was simply not where clear views were impossible, so I they’d emerge from the burrow like a produced six decent pictures. est can pass. Periodically indri calls 57 57 efforts, I stood up and by chance enough: there was still an itch to scratch decided to stake out the more open popping champagne cork, but each time Scaly and Rufous-headed ground roll- echoed all around, a Pygmy ­ 58 58 looked into some branches just above – I had to try and capture them on film. adjacent areas. Long-tailed Ground the birds returned with selected leaves ers proved far more elusive. My first flew past in a blur of fiery orange, mixed 59 59 me, straight at a Pitta-like Ground Having taken so long simply to see Rollers forage in the sandy soils and in their beaks to adorn the nest interior, efforts to find nests were completely flocks of vangas and greenbuls passed by 60 60 61 Roller. I was bowled over. Perhaps it them, I knew this would be difficult. In leaf-litter, predominantly in the early they’d perch on prominent branches or fruitless. Any glimpses of birds were and two eastern grey bamboo lemurs sat 61 62 was the glorious contrast between the fact it turned into one of the sternest morning before it becomes murderously tree stumps. It soon became clear that always fleeting and the chance of photo- above me, munching shoots. And three 62 63 dark recesses of the rainforests and the photographic challenges I’ve set myself hot. There is also the added bonus of some of these perches were regular graphs nil. But once again Besoa and his times a scuttled past 63 64 stunning plumage of this avian gem, and one that has occupied my attention beautiful warm light, so I concentrated favourites, so I aimed my lens, pre- imitations came good. The territory of a – click, click, click – the sweet sound of 64 65 but never before had a bird made such for the past three years. my efforts around dawn. Numerous focused and crossed my fingers. In the pair of Scaly Ground Rollers was found success.  65

54 ground rollers africa – birds & birding APRIL/MAY 2000 ground rollers 55

 1 1 2 2 3 Gr o u n d Ro l l e r s (f a m i l y Brachypteraciidae ) 3 4 4 5 The family is endemic to Madagascar and consists of five forest-dwelling species. 5 6 6 7 All are diurnal and largely terrestrial, with large heads, stout beaks, short wings and moderately long to very long 7 8 tails. Generally only vocal during the breeding season, the birds’ repertoire is limited to short, 8 9 9 10 often muffled calls that can be deceptively difficult to locate. 10 11 All species nest as solitary pairs in holes excavated in the ground – usually a slope or embankment and 11 12 12 13 often alongside a stream. Nest burrows are up to a metre deep, with the white, near spherical eggs laid in a chamber 13 14 at the end. Four species are confined to the humid evergreen rainforests of the north and east, 14 15 15 16 while the fifth species is restricted to a small area of arid forest on the south-west coast. 16 17 17 18 Short-legged Ground Roller before scurrying away into under- dense layers of leaf-litter; it is rarely 18 19 leptosomus growth, sometimes issuing a sharp, encountered below 900 metres and 19 20 The largest and least terrestrial (hence harsh alarm call. occurs more frequently above 1 200 20 21 the short legs) member of the family. Voice: The call is a soft, hollow two- metres. Secretive and generally found 21 22 Prefers lowland rainforest (elevations tone ‘co-ooor’ with an upward inflec- singly, except during the breeding sea- 22 23 below 1 000 metres) and is largely sol- tion, repeated every five to 20 seconds, son when often found in pairs. The diet 23 24 itary, except during the breeding sea- and generally uttered from a raised area consists mainly of and other 24 25 25 son when often encountered in pairs. on the forest floor (fallen log or similar) small invertebrates gleaned from the 26 26 Regularly perches on horizontal or a low horizontal branch. forest floor. 27 27 28 branches four to five metres but some- Best localities: Masoala and Mantadia Voice: Calls only when breeding, a 28 29 times up to 20 metres above the national parks. series of clear but solemn hoots, ‘woop’ 29 30 ground, where it remains motionless or ‘whop’, typically repeated every three 30 31 M for long periods while searching for Pitta-like Ground Roller to six seconds with a slight upward 31 32 food. Prey is mainly gleaned from the pittoides inflection. The call is noticeably higher 32 33 forest floor, but also from tree trunks The most common and widespread pitched than that of the superficially 33 34 and branches and consists of insects, member of the family; found through- similar Pitta-like Ground Roller. 34 35 snails, land crabs, other invertebrates out the eastern rainforest belt (although Best localities: Maromizaha near 35 36 and small vertebrates like chameleons, patchily distributed) from sea level up Andasibe and Ranomafana National 36 37 37 geckos and small snakes. to 2 000 metres; also occurs in an iso- Park (Vohiparara). 38 38 Voice: The call, issued from concealed lated remnant rainforest (Mt d’Ambre) 39 39 40 branches, is a low, muffled staccato in the far north. Normally encountered Long-tailed Ground Roller 40 ‘booo’ repeated approximately three to singly, but occasionally in pairs. Its for- Uratelornis chimaera 41 Above A forest-floor dweller where it spends its time searching the leaf-litter for food, the Scaly Ground Roller seldom takes flight. 41 The only family member to occur out- 42 Below right The Short-legged Ground Roller is the largest and least terrestrial member of its family. six times in quick succession. The con- aging technique and behaviour when 42 43 tact call between breeding pairs is a disturbed are much like those of the side rainforest areas, this species is 43 44 low, trilling ‘krrrr, krrrr, krrrr’. Scaly Ground Roller, although this spe- restricted to a strip of sub-arid spiny 44 45 On my next visit, Besoa took me to kept up his ventriloquist act and Best localities: Masoala, Ranomafana cies does fly short distances more often. forest between sea level and 100 45 46 the nearby higher montane forests of soon the ground roller called and Mantadia national parks. The diet consists mainly of insects like metres elevation, north of Tuléar in the 46 47 Maromizaha, a known haunt of the again and returned. Much to my beetles and caterpillars. south-west. Prefers areas with plenty 47 48 Rufous-headed Ground Roller, and it satisfaction, this time it stayed Scaly Ground Roller Voice: During the breeding season of leaf-litter but sparse her­baceous 48 49 49 wasn’t long before he got one to reply on the path a little longer. Brachypteracias squamiger (Oct–Feb), it may sing at all hours of the growth. It can even tolerate slightly 50 50 to his imitations. At first, the bird’s Another species in the photo Perhaps the most terrestrial ground day, the call being a soft, muffled degraded areas provided there is shade 51 51 calls suggested it was way off in the bag! 52 roller, this species also prefers lowland ‘whoop’ or ‘gwoop’, typically repeated and the leaf-litter remains. Almost 52 depths of the forest, but in no time at In between these successes, I’ve 53 rainforest (elevations below 1 000 every four to 10 seconds. exclusively terrestrial and usually soli- 53 all the calls seemingly grew ever closer. continued to search for Short- 54 metres) with plenty of undergrowth. It Best localities: Ranomafana, Mantadia tary, but encountered in pairs when 54 We peered into the undergrowth, legged Ground Rollers. I’ve found 55 forages almost exclusively in leaf-litter and Montagne d’Ambre national parks. breeding. Often cocks its tail when 55 56 searching every gap between the tan- them many times, but always for earthworms, insects and small ver- alarmed and runs quickly to escape if 56 gled vegetation. Vague shadows danced high in the canopy, on a distant 57 tebrates like stump-tailed chameleons Rufous-headed Ground Roller disturbed. Feeds mainly by probing 57 across the spaces, a hint of metallic branch or obscured behind a veil 58 Brookesia spp. Its technique is to search Atelornis crossleyi into sandy soil and leaf-litter for 58 emerald green here and suggestion of of foliage and I have yet to match 59 the forest floor, flicking over leaves, This is the smallest and probably least insects. 59 russet brown there. Then out the bird that fantastic but frustrating first 60 before running on a few metres, stop- well known of the ground rollers. It Voice: Seldom heard. The call is typical- 60 61 hopped, straight on to the trail ahead encounter. Being philosophical, at 61 ping and searching again. Even when shows a marked preference for undis- ly a series of quiet, muffled ‘took, took, 62 of us. It was no more than six metres least it gives me a good reason to 62 disturbed or startled it rarely takes turbed montane rainforests with a well- took’ notes on a descending scale. 63 away. My shutter rattled and the bird return to Madagascar’s rainforests 63 64 was gone. I assumed that was that, but and plug that gap. I can’t wait for flight, initially remaining motionless developed tangled understorey and Best localities: Ifaty and Lac Ihotry.  64 65 Besoa knew the show wasn’t over. He the chance!  65

56 ground rollers africa – birds & birding APRIL/maY 2000 ground rollers 57 