birding...

Birding In The Mascarene Islands (Reunion, Mauritius & Rodrigues)

Together the islands of Reunion, Mauritius and Rodrigues form the Mascarene archipelago, which lies 700kms to the east of Madagascar. Situated between the equator and the Tropic of Capricorn, the islands' volcanic origins date back some 13 million years. Today, only Reunion retains an active volcano, the formidable Piton de-la-Fournaise. It also claims the highest peak in the Indian Ocean, the 3069m Piton des Neiges.

Man arrived settled on these sublime tropical islands only about 400 years ago. But almost nowhere else on Earth, have Human activities had such a devastating effect on indigenous flora and fauna as has been the case on the Mascarenes. The wave of avian extinctions, which consequently occurred on these islands, is perhaps paralleled only by that which has took placeon the Hawaiian archipelago.

There were very few native mammals on the Mascarene islands. Only bats, which were able to fly across, established themselves. Worth mention here, is the endangered Rodrigues fruit bat, recently saved from extinction by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. There were also not many indigenous herps (reptiles and frogs); although Mauritius and the small offshore islet known as Round Island, still hold an impressive reptile fauna including endemic skinks, geckos and snakes. But the birds of the Mascarenes, were absolutely remarkable, including such distinctive species as the extinct Dodo (dronte) of Mauritius and its compatriots on Reunion and Rodrigues, the equally bizarre Solitaires.

The early settlers found three islands largely clad in tropical hardwood forests. Quickly, these forests were felled. (Only on mountainous Reunion do large tracts of original forest still exist). What remains in Mauritius and Rodrigues, are mere token remnants in a severely degraded state. The extraordinary birds were considered little more than a readily available food supply. It did not take the settlers much time to wipe out a long list of compellingly unique species. Today, Mauritius retains 8 endemic birds, Reunion 9 and Rodrigues 2. There are also a few species common to Reunion and Mauritius (2) and high on the lists of visiting birders, some very rare and localized seabirds. In the space of a week, it is fairly easy to see all the lifers one can tick off in the Mascarenes. The Field Guide to the Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands by Ian Sinclair and Olivier Langrand (Struik, 1998); renders identification a simple process.

Reunion

Although its lowland forests are all but gone, vast tracts of montane rainforest still remain intact on Reunion's rugged slopes. In fact, Reunion retains more original forest than any other Indian Ocean island does. So its endemic birdlife has suffered a little less than is the case on the other Mascarenes. There are two places on the island where almost all the endemic land birds can be seen during a single morning walk: La Roches Ecrite in the mountains above the capital, St Denis, and the beautiful Bebour-Belouve Forest near the town La Plaine des Palmistes. There, you ought to see Reunion cuckoo-shrike, Reunion bulbul, Reunion stonechat, Reunion grey white-eye and Reunion olive white-eye quite easily. Only the cuckoo-shrike is rare. Also often spotted are Mascarene swiftlet and Mascarene paradise flycatcher, both of which are more plentiful here than on Mauritius. And keep a lookout for the attractive Reunion harrier, which is also present in Madagascar.It is the only raptor found in Reunion, where it is quite widespread.

Seeing Reunion's sought-after resident seabirds, is somewhat more difficult. The endangered Reunion black petrel and Barau's petrel, are known to breed in the inhospitable heights of Piton des Neiges, which they leave around dusk for nocturnal foraging jaunts far out at sea.

A third highly localized and uncommon seabird, the Mascarene shearwater, is also found around Reunion. (It is shared with the Comoros). Seeing the island's national bird, the white-tailed tropicbird, is quite easily done along the rocky north-east and east coasts.

When to go:
Any time except cyclone season which is late Jan - early Feb