Madagascar Rail

Small brown bird with finely barred front. Brown above, paler and finely barred, below, with with pale spots on the wing and rump, pale-tipped tail, and tiny plum-colored cap (male also has plum-colored chin). Found in drier grassland areas, including agricultural areas, where it feeds in the grass or on the ground. Sometimes in large flocks, mixed with other species.

A small, chunky, grayish hawk with a distinctive pale throat spliced by a vertical black throat stripe; has one or two (rarely) broad white bars across the black tail. Occurs in singles or pairs in savanna and is often seen perched in the open, watching for insects, lizards, snakes, and other small vertebrates. Calls a loud shrill “peeee-eeeuuu” or repeated “whuuua-whuuua-whuuaa”. It is shorter-legged and has a more powerful build than most sparrowhawks. Most similar to Gabar Goshawk, both having a broad white rump band in flight, but Lizard Buzzard is distinguished by its distinctive throat pattern, pale tail bands, and pale tail tips.

This small, dark cinnamon-brown owl is the only resident scops-owl in its limited range. Inhabits a wide range of wooded habitats, from pristine lowland rainforest to plantations and woodlots around human habitation. Gives a barking hoot with an abrupt ending, often in pairs or well-spaced series. Also gives quiet, low rattling croaks. Combination of dark eyes and uniformly dark brown plumage distinguish this species from any migrant or vagrant scops-owls on the Mentawai Islands.