This region is notable not just for the high number of endemic species, but for endemism in higher-level taxonomic groupings too.
Two orders are endemic to Madagascar or the wider region:
Mesites are placed within the Mesitornithiformes, an order containing three species in two genera.
The cuckoo-roller is placed in the monotypic order Leptosomiformes. It is endemic to the wider region, as its single species is present on both Madagascar and Comores.
The following three families are endemic to Madagascar:
Ground-rollers, a family within the Coraciiformes, containing five species in three genera.
Asities, a passerine family within the Old World suboscines, containing four species in two genera
Malagasy Warblers, a passerine family within the Old World oscines, containing eleven species in eight genera.
One other family is endemic to the wider region:
The vangas, an oscine passerine family, containing sixteen species in eleven genera are endemic to the region. All but one species are confined to Madagascar, the sole exception being the Comoro blue vanga, restricted to Comores.
The nine species of coua (genus Coua, a subfamily of the cuckoos) are all Madagascan endemics.
Two extinct species, the dodo and Rodrigues solitaire are placed in the Raphinae (a subfamily of the doves and pigeons) and were endemic to Mauritius.
In addition to genera in the families above, the following genera are endemic to the region (M indicating a genus endemic to Madagascar):
the jeries Neomixis (three species) and Hartertula (one species) M
In addition in the following genera, high proportions of the member species are endemic to Madagascar:
the rock-thrushes, Monticola, in which three of the 13 species are endemic to Madagascar (these three are sometimes separated into their own genus, Pseudocossyphus).
BirdLife International has defined a number of Endemic Bird Areas and Secondary Areas in Madagascar and the western Indian Ocean islands.
The following is a list of species endemic to Madagascar.
Note that:
Madagascar partridge is endemic as a native species to Madagascar, but has been introduced on the Mascarenes
Madagascar buttonquail is endemic as a native species to Madagascar, but has been introduced on the Mascarenes
Madagascar turtle dove is endemic as a native species to Madagascar, but is thought to be an introduced species on the other islands in the region
Grey-headed lovebird is endemic as a native species to Madagascar, but has been introduced to the Comoro Islands
Madagascar fody is endemic as a native species to Madagascar, but has been introduced to many of the other islands in the region
Species endemic to other islands or island groups in the region
The following is a list of species endemic to other islands.
Mauritius kestrel
Pink pigeon
Mauritius parakeet
Mascarene swiftlet
Réunion bulbul
Mauritius bulbul
Réunion stonechat
Mascarene paradise flycatcher
Rodrigues warbler
Mauritius olive white-eye
Réunion olive white-eye
Mauritius grey white-eye
Réunion grey white-eye
Mauritius cuckoo-shrike
Réunion cuckoo-shrike
Mauritius fody
Rodrigues fody
Comoro olive pigeon
Comoro green pigeon
Karthala scops-owl
Anjouan scops-owl
Anjouan cuckoo-roller
Comoro bulbul
Comoro thrush
Humblot's flycatcher
Comoro brush-warbler
Benson's brush-warbler
Kirk's white-eye
Karthala white-eye
Mayotte white-eye
Comoro green sunbird
Humblot's sunbird
Anjouan sunbird
Mayotte sunbird
Comoro blue vanga
Comoro cuckoo-shrike
Mayotte drongo
Grande Comore drongo
Comoro fody
Seychelles kestrel
Seychelles blue pigeon
Seychelles black parrot
Seychelles scops-owl
Seychelles swiftlet
Seychelles magpie-robin
Seychelles black paradise flycatcher
Seychelles warbler
Seychelles white-eye
Seychelles sunbird
Seychelles fody
Species endemic to the Aldabra islands
Aldabra rail
Aldabra brush-warbler
Abbott's sunbird
Aldabra drongo
Aldabra fody
There are native Madagascar turtle doves in the Aldabra group (separate races from those found on Madagascar); they may represent a separate species.
The following is a list of species which are not endemic to a specific island (or island group) but are endemic to the region as a whole.
Madagascar sacred ibis (Aldabra, western coast of Madagascar)
Réunion harrier (Madagascar, Comoros, Mascarenes)
Frances's sparrowhawk (Madagascar, Comoros)
Madagascar kestrel (Madagascar, Aldabra)
Comoro blue pigeon (Comoros, Aldabra)
Greater vasa parrot (Madagascar, Comoros)
Lesser vasa parrot (Madagascar, Comoros)
Madagascar coucal (Madagascar, Aldabra)
Madagascar scops owl (Madagascar, Comoros)
Madagascar nightjar (Madagascar, Aldabra)
Madagascar black swift (Madagascar, Comoros)
Madagascar spine-tailed swift (Madagascar, Comoros)
Madagascar kingfisher (Madagascar, Comoros)
Madagascar bee-eater (Madagascar, Comoros)
Madagascar cuckoo-roller (Madagascar, Comoros)
Mascarene martin (Madagascar, Mascarenes)
Madagascar bulbul (Madagascar, Comoros, Aldabra)
Madagascar paradise flycatcher (Madagascar, Comoros)
Madagascar cisticola (Madagascar, Aldabra group)
Madagascar brush-warbler (Madagascar, Mohéli, Anjouan)
Madagascar white-eye (Madagascar, various other islands)
Madagascar green sunbird (Madagascar, Mohéli)
Souimanga sunbird (Aldabra, Madagascar)
Crested drongo (Madagascar, Anjouan)
The following is a list of species endemic to the region as breeding species:
Madagascar squacco heron (breeding endemic on Madagascar & Aldabra, migrates to East Africa)
Madagascar lesser cuckoo (endemic to Madagascar in the breeding season, winters in East Africa).
Two Western Palearctic falcons winter entirely (Eleonora's falcon) or mainly (sooty falcon) on Madagascar.
The following restricted-range species are also found in the region:
The following seabirds are restricted to the region as breeders:
