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MG043
Ambatovaky Special Reserve
Location Madagascar, Toamasina
Central coordinates 49o 15.00' East  16o 45.00' South
IBA criteria A1, A2, A3
Area 60,500 ha
Altitude 300 - 1,200m
Year of IBA assessment 2001

Asity Madagascar (Affiliate)



Ornithological information See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. Ninety-two species are known from the site, of which 55 are endemic to Madagascar. This is the only site known for Mesitornis variegata in the East Malagasy biome, and it is possible that this population is a separate taxon.

Site description Ambatovaky Special Reserve is located about 50 km west of the coastal town of Soanierana-Ivongo. Many streams drain eastwards through the site and create innumerable small valleys and ridges between occasional steep-sloped, sharp-peaked mountains. Two main rivers flow through the reserve, the Iampirano and the Sandrangato. The vegetation is mainly dense, low- and mid-altitude, humid evergreen forest, with sclerophyllous montane forest in the higher areas.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Madagascar Crested Ibis Lophotibis cristata resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Near Threatened 
Madagascar Pond-heron Ardeola idae breeding  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Endangered 
Madagascar Serpent-eagle Eutriorchis astur resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Endangered 
Henst's Goshawk Accipiter henstii resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Near Threatened 
White-breasted Mesite Mesitornis variegatus resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Vulnerable 
Brown Mesite Mesitornis unicolor resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Vulnerable 
Madagascar Flufftail Sarothrura insularis resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Madagascar Blue-pigeon Alectroenas madagascariensis resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Red-breasted Coua Coua serriana resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A2, A3  Least Concern 
Red-fronted Coua Coua reynaudii resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Blue Coua Coua caerulea resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Collared Nightjar Caprimulgus enarratus resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Short-legged Ground-roller Brachypteracias leptosomus resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Vulnerable 
Scaly Ground-roller Brachypteracias squamiger resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Vulnerable 
Pitta-like Ground-roller Atelornis pittoides resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A3  Least Concern 
Velvet Asity Philepitta castanea resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Sunbird Asity Neodrepanis coruscans resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Bernier's Vanga Oriolia bernieri resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Vulnerable 
Helmet Vanga Euryceros prevostii resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Vulnerable 
Nuthatch Vanga Hypositta corallirostris resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A2, A3  Least Concern 
Dark Newtonia Newtonia amphichroa resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Red-tailed Newtonia Newtonia fanovanae resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Vulnerable 
Ward's Flycatcher Pseudobias wardi resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Crossley's Babbler Mystacornis crossleyi resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
White-throated Oxylabes Oxylabes madagascariensis resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Spectacled Tetraka Bernieria zosterops resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Grey-crowned Tetraka Bernieria cinereiceps resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Near Threatened 
Rand's Warbler Randia pseudozosterops resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Least Concern 
Green Jery Neomixis viridis resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Forest Rock-thrush Monticola sharpei resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2, A3  Least Concern 
Nelicourvi Weaver Ploceus nelicourvi resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Forest Fody Foudia omissa resident  1990  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Ambatovaky Special Reserve 24,866 protected area contained by site 24,866  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Unknown   1%
Forest   97%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
agriculture -
nature conservation and research -
other -
Notes: Collection of medicinal plants and honey.

Other biodiversity Lemurs: Eulemur rubriventer (VU), Varecia variegata variegata (EN), Indri indri (EN), Propithecus diadema diadema (EN), Daubentonia madagascariensis (EN). Carnivores: Fossa fossana (VU), Cryptoprocta ferox (VU). Butterflies: Papilio mangoura (VU), Amauris nossima (VU).

Management considerations Slash-and-burn cultivation (especially in the lowland eastern sector), widespread cattle-grazing and poaching are severe threats to the site. Over-collection of medicinal plants and wild honey is also a risk.

References Evans (1991), Nicoll and Langrand (1989), Raxworthy and Colston (1992), Thompson and Evans (1991, 1992).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Ambatovaky Special Reserve. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013

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