Eleven Days Birding Comoros

Day One: Arrival in Moroni

Upon arrival at Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport serving Moroni, the capital of the Comoros nation on the island of Grand Comore (local name Ngazidja), the guide from Afrikan Wildlife Safaris will welcome you and then transfer you to the hotel. Dinner and overnight at Jardin de la Paix, Moroni

Days Two and Three:  Birding Mount Karthala

For these two days, we will be hiking various slopes of Mount Karthala, an active volcano and the highest point of the Comoros. The mountain is covered by moist evergreen forest up to almost 6,000 feet (about 1,800 meters) above sea level; higher up the vegetation consists of stunted trees and heathland.

Mount Karthala is an IBA (BirdLife International). Important Bird and Biodiversity Area). Many of the species found on the mountain are endemic to the Comoros, and four bird species occur only on the slopes of Mount Karthala. Humblot’s Flycatcher, Karthala White-eye, Grand Comoro Drongo, and Karthala Scops Owl. In addition, we hope to find and enjoy species such as Madagascan Spinetail, Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher, Malagasy White-eye, Malagasy Black Swift, Comoros Fody, Malagasy Green Sunbird, Greater and Lesser Vasa Parrots, Olive Bee-eater, Malagasy Bulbul, Malagasy Turtle Dove, African Palm Swift, Malagasy Black Swift, and a number of endemics and near-endemics such as Kirk’s White-eye, Comoros Thrush, Comoros Cuckooshrike, Grand Comoro Bulbul, Comoros Blue Pigeon, Grand Comoro Brush Warbler, and Humblot’s Sunbird. Dinner and overnight at Jardin de la Paix, Moroni

Day Four: Fly to Mohéli

This morning, we will fly to Fomboni, the capital of Mohéli (native name Mwali), the smallest of the islands of the Comoros. Briefly head to the forests, and with this island being so much smaller, it will take very little time to do so. The Mwali Highlands (Mont Mlédjélé) above Fomboni are also one of the Comoros’ IBAs, and here Humblot’s Sunbird, Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher, and Comoros and Red Fodies should hopefully be found.

There are four bird species endemic to Mohéli that we will be looking for, Comoros Green Pigeon, Moheli Bulbul, Moheli Brush Warbler, and Moheli Scops Owl. Additional specials we might encounter on Mohéli, are Comoros Thrush, Blue Vanga, Tambourine Dove, Malagasy Turtle Dove, Greater Vasa Parrot, Malagasy White-eye, Malagasy Green Sunbird, Malagasy Harrier, spectacular flybys onto the volcanic ridges of Peregrine Falcon, and with luck even the enigmatic Cuckoo Roller, the only member of an ancient lineage (not Coraciiformes), without any known relatives among modern birds and therefore the only species in its own order. At night, we will have a try of one of our main targets, Moheli Scops Owl. Dinner and overnight at Laka Lodge, Niomachoua

Day Five: Birding Mohéli

This will be another day to search for the avian treasures that the island of Mohéli has to offer. One of the things we might do, is walk down to the village of Nioumachoua and the Mohéli Marine Park, the Comoros’ first national park. The islets of this park with their dry or non-existent vegetation are remarkable; their importance lies in their attraction for seabirds. In particular we will look for White-tailed Tropicbird as well as various other marine species. The part of the park extending onto the land is home to Comoros Thrush, Moheli Brush Warbler, and Blue Vanga, among many others, and offers us another chance of finding Moheli Scops Owl. Dinner and overnight at Laka Lodge, Nioumachoua

Day Six: Flight to Anjouan, birding the Moya area

After breakfast, we will take a flight to Anjouan (native name Ndzuwani). Called the ‘pearl of the Comoros’ by its residents, Anjouan is no doubt the most scenic island of the Comoros, and our drive along the coast from the airport at Ouani via Bimbini with its stunning beaches, to Moya, is so beautiful. On the way, we will look out for various seabirds like Sooty Tern, Masked Booby, Tropical Shearwater, Brown Noddy, and White-tailed Tropicbird. In the evening, we will tackle a rather steep climb up the hillside to a known stakeout for the third of our very special owl targets, Anjouan Scops Owl. Dinner and overnight at Sultan Hotel, Moya

Day Seven: birding Moya Forest

On this day, we will have a walk into Moya Forest (Forêt de Moya, another one of the Comoros’ IBAs) in the early morning and will spend the day birding in the forest and look out for Anjouan Brush Warbler and Anjouan Sunbird, as well as for Frances’s Sparrowhawk, Comoros Olive Pigeon, Comoros Blue Pigeon, Lesser Vasa Parrot, Olive Bee-eater, Crested Drongo, Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher, Malagasy White-eye, Comoros Thrush, Comoros Fody, Malagasy Harrier, and, as always, many others. We also hope to visit a roost of Livingstone’s Flying Foxes, the rarest fruit bat in the world, which feed on the agroforests scattered along the hillsides.

In the evening we will try once more for Anjouan Scops Owl and then spend the night at the very scenic town of Domoni, which has a stunning medina. Dinner and overnight at one of two decent hotels in Domoni

Day Eight: Lac Dzialandzé then to Ouani

This morning, we will explore a new section of the island as we head for Lac Dzialandzé, a small crater lake nestled between volcanic ridges. Traversing a variety of habitats along the way, we once more could be locating all the endemics of the island, such as Anjouan Sunbird, Comoros Thrush, Anjouan Brush Warbler, Malagasy White-eye, and Anjouan Scops Owl. Other species both en route and at the lake itself may include Comoros Fody, Common Quail, Little Grebe, and Comoros Blue Pigeon. We hope to get the most remarkable views of Livingstone’s Flying Fox, also called Comoros Flying Fox, endemic only to Mohéli and Anjouan. Circling overhead, we will enjoy these, the largest bats in the world, with wingspans of up to 1.4 meters. In the afternoon, we will return to Mutsamudu to be close to the airport for our flight to Mayotte in the morning. Dinner and overnight at  Hotel Jasmin, Mutsamudu or Hotel Bleché, Ouani

Day Nine: Flight to Mayotte

We will fly to Mayotte, the birding here will again be active and exciting. The catchment for the town of Combani extends into the Mlima Combani and Mlima Mtsapéré IBA. Here we hope to find the Mayotte endemics Mayotte White-eye and Mayotte Drongo, as well as many other interesting species, such as Malagasy Pond Heron, Olive Bee-eater, Comoros Fody, Malagasy Turtle Dove, the gigantic Comoros Olive Pigeon, Comoros Blue Pigeon, Frances’s Sparrowhawk, Malagasy Black Swift, Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher, Malagasy Bulbul, Mayotte Sunbird, and Malagasy Kingfisher. In the evening, we will search for our final scops owl target of the trip, Mayotte Scops Owl. Dinner and overnight at Gîte du Mont Combani, Combani

Day Ten: Birding Mayotte

On this day, we will have a full day birding Mayotte to look for all the island’s special birds. We expect a number of species in beautiful surroundings, with the sea in the background. Brown Lemur, introduced to Mayotte, is frequently seen around the grounds. We will also take an outing to see various interesting seabirds and water birds, in particular we will lookout for Malagasy Pond Heron, Humblot’s Heron, Lesser Crested Tern, Brown Noddy, and Crab-plover.

In the evening, we can do another outing for Mayotte Scops Owl if we missed it the night before or if you want better views or photos. Dinner and overnight at Gîte du Mont Combani, Combani

 Day Eleven: Departure

After breakfast, we will be transferred for our international flights from Dzaoudzi-Pamandzi International Airport.