Alternative name: Red Vanga
- Schetba rufa
Identification
20cm. A medium-sized vanga.
Male
- Black head down to chest, nape and neck with blue sheen
- Rufous upperparts
- Dark brown primaries
- Rufous tail
- White underparts
- Dark maron-red eye
- Strong, broad blue-tinged grey bill
- Blue-grey legs
Female
- Glossy black front and top of head and nape
- Rufous upperparts with grey nape-collar
- Rufous upperwing and tail
- Whitish cheek, chin and upper throat
- Light grey chest and flanks, white belly
Juveniles resemble females but the black on the head is mixed with dull brown, the bill black with a white tip
Distribution
Endemic to Madagascar.
Locally common.
Taxonomy
There are two recognized subspecies:
- S. r. occidentalis in western Madagascar
- S. r. rufa in northern and eastern Madagascar
Habitat
Lowland evergreen humid forest in the east and deciduous forest in the west. Relies on undisturbed primary forest. Occurs from sea-level up to 800m.
Behaviour
Feeds on invertebrates (like beetles, cockroaches or worms) and small vertebrates (lizards, chameleons and geckos).
Spends long periods perched on a low branch, looking out for potential prey. More seen on ground than other vangas. Flies rarely and usually only short distances.
Usually seen in pairs, family groups or in mixed-species flocks with Madagascar Bulbul, Madagascar Cuckooshrike, Common Jery, Common Newtonia, Long-billed Bernieria, Madagascar Paradise-Flycatcher and other species.
Breeding season from October to January. A co-operative breeder, yearling males and older males help the pair in defending the breeding territory. The nest is a cup made from mosses, woven plant fibres and twigs. It's placed 4m above the ground in a tree fork. Lays 4 eggs.
A resident species.
References
- Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2021) Rufous Vanga. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 1 June 2021 from https://www.birdforum.net/wiki/Rufous_Vanga
