Upupa marginata
Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~90% in a week >90%
The Madagascar hoopoe (Upupa marginata) is a species of hoopoe in the family Upupidae. It was previously considered a subspecies (Upupa epops marginata) of the hoopoe, but was split due to its vocalisations and small differences in plumage. Some taxonomists still consider all three species conspecific. Some authorities also keep the African and Eurasian hoopoe together, but split the Madagascar hoopoe. It is endemic to Madagascar, where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forest. It is a common bird and the International Union for Conservation of Nature considers its conservation status to be of least concern.
The adult Madagascar hoopoe is about 32 cm (12.6 in) long and weighs 57 to 91 g (2.0 to 3.2 oz). It has a long, decurved bill, and cinnamon-coloured plumage, the wings being boldly barred in black and white. The tail is black and a long, cinnamon crest with black-tipped feathers can be raised when the bird is alarmed. The wings are broad and rounded; the characteristic flight consists of a few beats after which the wings are folded momentarily and the bird glides, before resuming flapping. The female is slightly duller in colour than the male,... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ankarafantsika National Park | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 2 | Berenty Reserve | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 3 | Ranomafana National Park | 🇲🇬 Madagascar |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Antananarivo | 🇲🇬 Madagascar |
No species of the same family or order lives in Ankarafantsika National Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other birds.
Likely
About 60% of wildlife watchers report a Madagascar Hoopoe sighting in Ankarafantsika National Park on a given day, based on 298 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 17th most-seen of the 83 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October to December
In those months about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Madagascar Hoopoe in Ankarafantsika National Park on a given day, against about 40% in August, the lowest month. January–March and May have too few records to rate.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Madagascar Hoopoe sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Yes
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Madagascar Hoopoe sightings, Ankarafantsika National Park has the highest daily chance: about 60%. Next come Berenty Reserve (Madagascar, about 60%) and Ranomafana National Park (Madagascar, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Madagascar Hoopoe is recorded against all the birds logged in Ankarafantsika National Park (298 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
