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MG029
Marotandrano Special Reserve
Location Madagascar, Mahajanga
Central coordinates 48o 44.00' East  16o 23.00' South
IBA criteria A1, A2, A3
Area 42,200 ha
Altitude 700 - 1,200m
Year of IBA assessment 2001

Asity Madagascar (Affiliate)



Ornithological information See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. Among the 76 recorded species, two are little known—Eutriorchis astur and Tyto soumagnei—and 49 are endemic to Madagascar.

Site description Marotandrano Special Reserve is located south of the town of Marotandrano, 4 km south of Mandritsara. The main rivers which rise in the area are the Amboaboa, Andranokelilalina and Andramy, which flow to the Indian Ocean, and the Vatolahy and Mahatsara, which flow to the Mozambique Channel. The vegetation is mid-altitude, dense, humid evergreen forest, lying at the western limit of such habitat. Trees of Tambourissa, Dalbergia, Onchostemum and Canarium dominate the upper layer, while the mid-stratum is characterized by tree-ferns, bamboo-lianas and palms. On the ridges, the lower vegetation layer is dense and characterized by thick grass clumps.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Madagascar Crested Ibis Lophotibis cristata resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Near Threatened 
Madagascar Pond-heron Ardeola idae breeding  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Endangered 
Madagascar Serpent-eagle Eutriorchis astur resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Endangered 
Madagascar Sparrowhawk Accipiter madagascariensis resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Near Threatened 
Henst's Goshawk Accipiter henstii resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Near Threatened 
Brown Mesite Mesitornis unicolor resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Vulnerable 
Madagascar Flufftail Sarothrura insularis resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Madagascar Wood Rail Canirallus kioloides resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Madagascar Blue-pigeon Alectroenas madagascariensis resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Red-breasted Coua Coua serriana resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A2, A3  Least Concern 
Red-fronted Coua Coua reynaudii resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Blue Coua Coua caerulea resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Madagascar Red Owl Tyto soumagnei resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Vulnerable 
Collared Nightjar Caprimulgus enarratus resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Pitta-like Ground-roller Atelornis pittoides resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A3  Least Concern 
Rufous-headed Ground-roller Atelornis crossleyi resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Near Threatened 
Velvet Asity Philepitta castanea resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Sunbird Asity Neodrepanis coruscans resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Yellow-bellied Asity Neodrepanis hypoxantha resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Vulnerable 
Nuthatch Vanga Hypositta corallirostris resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A2, A3  Least Concern 
Dark Newtonia Newtonia amphichroa resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Ward's Flycatcher Pseudobias wardi resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A3  Least Concern 
Crossley's Babbler Mystacornis crossleyi resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Brown Emu-tail Dromaeocercus brunneus resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Least Concern 
White-throated Oxylabes Oxylabes madagascariensis resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Spectacled Tetraka Bernieria zosterops resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Grey-crowned Tetraka Bernieria cinereiceps resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Near Threatened 
Madagascar Yellowbrow Crossleyia xanthophrys resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Near Threatened 
Rand's Warbler Randia pseudozosterops resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A3  Least Concern 
Green Jery Neomixis viridis resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Wedge-tailed Jery Neomixis flavoviridis resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Near Threatened 
Forest Rock-thrush Monticola sharpei resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Least Concern 
Nelicourvi Weaver Ploceus nelicourvi resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Forest Fody Foudia omissa resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Marotandrano Special Reserve 40,726 protected area contained by site 40,726  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest   99%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -
nature conservation and research -

Other biodiversity 1>Lemurs: Eulemur rubriventer (VU), Varecia variegata variegata (EN), Propithecus diadema diadema (EN), Indri indri (EN).

Management considerations Slash-and-burn cultivation and hunting of lemurs are likely to constitute threats. However, the forest remains mostly intact.

References ZICOMA (1999).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Marotandrano Special Reserve. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife