SUB-REGION
Malagasy
SIZE
The Comoros are an archipelago of three main volcanic islands – N’gazidja/Grande Comore (GC), Nzwani/Anjouan (A) and Mwali/Mohéli (M) – and numerous islets in the western Indian Ocean, with a combined total land area of 1,861 km²
BIRDS AND BIRDING
SPECIES
Diversity
Strongly Malagasy avifauna
Approximately 160 recorded species, including vagrants
Endemics (E)
Comoro Green Pigeon (M) (EN)
Karthala Scops Owl | Comoro Scops Owl | Grande Comore Scops Owl (GC) (EN)
Anjouan Scops Owl (A) (EN)
Moheli Scops Owl (M) (EN)
Comoro Black Parrot (GC, A) (NT)
Comoro Blue Vanga (GC bensoni, M comorensis)
Comoro Cuckooshrike (GC cucullata, M moheliensis) (EN)
Grande Comore Drongo | Comoro Drongo (GC) (EN)
Grande Comore Bulbul (GC) (NT)
Moheli Bulbul (M) (EN)
Anjouan Brush Warbler (A) (NA)
Grande Comore Brush Warbler (GC) (LC)
Moheli Brush Warbler | Benson’s Brush Warbler (M) (EN)
Karthala White-eye | Comoro White-eye (GC) (VU)
Anjouan White-eye (A) (NA)
Kirk’s White-eye (GC) (LC)
Moheli White-eye (M) (NA)
Comoro Thrush (GC comorensis, M moheliensis, A bewsheri) (NT)
Humblot’s Flycatcher | Grande Comore Flycatcher (GC) (VU)
Humblot’s Sunbird (GC humbloti, M mohelicus) (LC)
Anjouan Sunbird (A) (LC)
Birds best found in the Comoros but occurring more widely (BT)
Persian Shearwater (ESS M temptator)
Birds occurring in only two territories of the ABC region but not near-endemics or BT (1/2), including endemic subspecies (ESS)
Madagascar Spinetail (ESS GC mariae)
Comoro Olive Pigeon | Comoro Pigeon
Greater Vasa Parrot (comorensis)
Crested Drongo (ESS A potior)
Malagasy Brush Warbler | Madagascar Brush Warbler (ESS M moheliensis)
Malagasy Green Sunbird | Malagasy Sunbird | Long-billed Green Sunbird (ESS GC moebii + M voeltzkowi)
Comoro Fody | Red-headed Fody (ESS GC consobrina + A anjuanensis + M eminentissima)
Birds best found in two territories but occurring in more (B2)
Comoro Blue Pigeon (sganzini)
Proposed new species or splits not yet accepted by IOC
Comoro Turtle Dove (1/2 comorensis)
Moheli Shearwater (E temptator)
Grande Comore Sparrowhawk (E GC griveaudi)
Anjouan Sparrowhawk (E A pusillus)
Grande Comore Cuckoo-roller (E GC gracilis)
Anjouan Cuckoo-roller (E A intermedius)
Pale Paradise Flycatcher (E A vulpina + M voeltzkowiana)
Grande Comore Paradise Flycatcher (E GC comorensis)
Grande Comore Thrush (E GC comorensis)
Moheli Thrush (E M moheliensis)
Anjouan Thrush (E A bewsheri)
Grande Comore Stonechat (E GC voeltzkowi)
Grande Comore Sunbird (E GC moebii)
Moheli Sunbird (E M voeltzkowi)
Grande Comore Fody (E GC consobrina)
Other taxa of interest, including more ESS
Common Quail (africana)
Malagasy Palm Swift | Madagascar Palm Swift (griveaudi)
Malagasy Black Swift | Malagasy Swift | Madagascar Swift (mayottensis)
Malagasy Turtle Dove | Madagascar Turtle Dove (comorensis)
Ring-necked Dove
Tambourine Dove
Common Moorhen (pyrrhorrhoa)
Little Grebe
Tibetan Sand Plover
Greater Sand Plover
Terek Sandpiper
Crab-plover
Brown Noddy
Sooty Tern
Bridled Tern
Saunders’s Tern
Lesser Crested Tern
Greater Crested Tern
Red-tailed Tropicbird
White-tailed Tropicbird
Wedge-tailed Shearwater
Tropical Shearwater
Great Frigatebird
Lesser Frigatebird
Masked Booby
Dimorphic Egret
Striated Heron (rhizophorae)
Western Cattle Egret
Great Egret
Grey Heron (firasa)
Humblot’s Heron
Frances’s Sparrowhawk (ESS GC griveaudi + ESS A pusillus)
Malagasy Harrier | Madagascar Harrier
Yellow-billed Kite (parasitus)
Western Barn Owl (hypermetra)
Cuckoo-roller (ESS A intermedius + GC gracilis)
Broad-billed Roller
Malagasy Kingfisher | Madagascar Malachite Kingfisher (johannae)
Olive Bee-eater | Madagascar Bee-eater (superciliosus)
Eleonora’s Falcon
Peregrine Falcon (radama)
Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher | Madagascar Paradise Flycatcher (ESS A vulpina + M voeltzkowiana + GC comorensis)
Pied Crow
Malagasy Bulbul (madagascariensis)
African Stonechat (ESS GC voeltzkowi)
Bronze Mannikin
Introduced species
Helmeted Guineafowl
Rock Dove
Grey-headed Lovebird
Common Myna
House Sparrow
Red Fody
MAIN HABITATS
Lowland and montane forest
BIRD AREAS
Comoro Islands Endemic Bird Area
4 Important Bird Areas
BIRDING SITES
Mount Karthala and Lake Niamawi on Ngazidja/Grande Comore
Lake Dzialandzé and Moya Forest on Nzwani/Anjouan
Djando Forest on Mwali/Mohéli
TIMING (Sep–Nov)
Best at the start of the rains when most birds breed (Aug–Dec)
Avoid the cyclone season (Dec–Apr)
RESOURCES
Field guides
Birds of Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands by Frank Hawkins, Roger Safford & Adrian Skerrett (2015)
A Photographic Guide to the Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands/Guide Photographique des Oiseaux des Îles de l’Océan Indien by Ian Sinclair, Olivier Langrand & Fanja Andriamialisoa (2006)
Sounds
Guide Sonore des Oiseaux Nicheurs des Comores/Sound Guide to the Breeding Birds of the Comoros by Marc Herremans
Oiseaux de Madagascar, Mayotte, Comores, Seychelles, Reunion, Maurice/Bird Sounds of Madagascar, Mayotte, Comoros, Seychelles, Reunion, Mauritius by Pierre Huguet & Claude Chappuis
Atlases
Atlas des Oiseaux Nicheurs de la Grande Comore, de Mohéli et d’Anjouan by Michel Louette, Hachime Abdérémane, Ibrahim Yahaya & Danny Meirte (2008)
Further reading
The Birds of Africa Vol VIII: The Malagasy Region edited by Roger Safford & Frank Hawkins (2013)
Oiseaux by Michel Louette in La Faune Terrestre de l’Archipel des Comores edited by Michel Louette, Danny Meirte & Rudy Jocqué (2009)
Terrestrial Fauna of the Comoros Archipelago/Faune Terrestre de l’Archipel des Comores by Oliver Hawlitschek, Rémy Eudeline & Antione Rouillé (2020)
Birds of the Indian Ocean/Les Oiseaux de l’Océan Indien by Narainsamy Ramen (2022)
The Comoros by Roger J Safford in Important Bird Areas in Africa and Associated Islands: Priority Sites for Conservation edited by Lincoln D C Fishpool & Michael I Evans (2001)
Biogéographie, Origine et Évolution des Oiseaux aux Comores by Michel Louette (1996)
Les Oiseaux des Comores by Michel Louette (1988)
Birds on the Comoro Islands, April 1990 by Roger J Safford & Michael I Evans (1992)
Sicklebill Safaris Expedition to the Comoro Islands, a trip report by Phil Gregory (2014)
Articles in Scopus, Bull. ABC, etc.
Facebook
Indian Ocean Fieldguides: The Comoros
ORGANISATIONS
There is currently no BirdLife Partner in the Comoros
Bird or conservation organisations active in the Comoros include –
Dahari
Ulanga-Ngazidja
Fédération des Acteurs de Développement Economique et Social de l’Ile de Mohéli (FADESIM)
Blue Ventures
Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust
Centre National de Documentation et de Recherche Scientifique (CNDRS) is a public institution with a cultural and scientific purpose specializing in the conservation and enhancement of the natural (fauna and flora) and cultural (tangible and intangible) heritage of the Comoros and the promotion of research