Mayotte | Maore

SUB-REGION
Malagasy

SIZE
Mayotte is an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean consisting of a main island, Grande-Terre/Maore, a smaller island, Petite-Terre/Pamanzi, and several islets, with a combined total land area of 374 km²

BIRDS AND BIRDING

SPECIES
Diversity
Avifauna is Malagasy in origin
Approximately 140 recorded species, including vagrants

Endemics (E)
Mayotte Scops Owl (LC)
Mayotte Drongo (VU)
Mayotte White-eye | Chestnut-sided White-eye (LC)
Mayotte Sunbird (LC)

Birds occurring in only two territories of the ABC region but not near-endemics (1/2), including endemic subspecies (ESS)
Comoro Olive Pigeon | Comoro Pigeon
Comoro Fody | Red-headed Fody (ESS algondae)

Birds best found in two territories but occurring in more (B2)
Comoro Blue Pigeon

Proposed splits not yet accepted by IOC
Comoro Turtle Dove (1/2 comorensis)
Mayotte Sparrowhawk

Introduced species
Rock Dove
Common Myna
House Sparrow
Red Fody

MAIN HABITATS
Indigenous forest, islets

BIRD AREAS
Comoro Islands Endemic Bird Area
5 Important Bird Areas

BIRDING SITES
Mont Combani, Dziani Karihani and Jardin Botanique de Coconi on Grande-Terre/Maore for endemics
La Vasière des Badamiers for waterbirds and seabirds

TIMING (Sep–Nov)
Best at the start of the rains, when most birds breed (Aug–Nov)
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

Further reading
The Birds of Africa Volume VIII: the Malagasy Region by Roger Safford & Frank Hawkins (2013)
Actualisation de la Liste des Espèces d’Oiseaux Recensées à Mayotte by A Laubin, F Jeanne, Mdallah B Ousseni & E Dautrey (2019)
Les Oiseaux de Mayotte by Michel Clément, Philippe de Grissac & Robin Rolland (2008)
Les Oiseaux des Espaces Naturels Remarquables de Mayotte by Gérard Rocamora (2004)
Mayotte 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)
La Faune Terrestre de Mayotte edited by Michel Louette (1999) includes the names of birds and other animals in Shimaore and local Malgache languages
Les Oiseaux des Comores by Michel Louette (1988)
Birds of the Indian Ocean/Les Oiseaux de l’Océan Indien by Narainsamy Ramen (2022)
Articles in Alauda, Bull. ABC, etc.

Websites
Mayotte-LIFE BIODIV’OM
Réserve Naturelle Nationale des Forêts de Mayotte
Réserve Naturelle Nationale de l’Îlot M’bouzi
Parc Naturel Marin de Mayotte

Blogs
Naturalistes, Environnement et Patrimoine Mayotte: les Naturalistes de Mayotte

ORGANISATIONS

Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO) is the BirdLife Partner for Mayotte

Other bird or conservation organisations active in Mayotte include –
Groupe d’Etudes et de Protection des Oiseaux de Mayotte (GEPOMAY)
Naturalistes de Mayotte
Initiative Française pour les Récifs Coralliens (IFRECOR)