Mahavavy-Kinkony complex. The one of the world’s “birdwatching spots”
It owes its name to the Mahavavy River and Kinkony Lake. The site is mostly known about its avian wealth, especially water birds. It is also a wintering place for migratory birds such as flamingos and various terns.
Classified Ramsar site, the complex covers a total area of 300,000 ha and comprises 23 lakes including Lake Kinkony, which is the second largest lake in Madagascar. It is also formed by diverse landscapes: mangroves, swamps, dry forest of Tsiombikibo, the Gallery forests along the Mahavavy River, the Palm Savannah and the Bay of Boeny. The site is ideal for watching rare birds of Madagascar. Visiting this complex is a must during your stay in the region of Mahajanga (Majunga).
Nine primate species, 30 fish species, 37 herpetofauna species, 133 bird species have been recorded on the faunistic diversity including the rare Gravelot of Madagascar, Eagle fisherman or le Râle d’olivier. From a floristic point of view, 246 known floral species have spread throughout the complex.
The complex is divided into five parts and composed by several types of habitats that are:
*the Mahavavy Delta grouping estuaries to forest of mangroves with a vast mudflat;
*the Marambitsy Bay with salt marshes and mangrove forests;
*the Boeny Bay including forests of mangroves with its three islands, a few lakes in the surrounding area and the Arab ruins of Antsoheribory;
*Lake Kinkony and its satellite Lakes;
*and finally protective dry dense forest fragments of the catchment areas of wetlands, of which the largest is the classified forest of Merina.
Of Mitsinjo, two tracks are accessible, one East passing through Makary and other South West through Analalava. There must be 3 hours on average for each route departing from Mitsinjo. To discover each of the five types of seats, you must spend at least one day in each.
The Mahavavy-Kinkony complex presents great ornithological diversity, especially in aquatic avifauna. It is home to endemic species of Madagascar:
| Malagasy common name | Common name | Scientific name |
| Vorofaly | Rattle d ’ olivier | Amaurornis olivieri |
| Vorombengy | Madagascar sacred Ibis | Threskiornis bernieri |
| Fiandrivoditatatra | Heron white crab | A. idae |
| Vikoviko | Curlew Malagasy | Glareola ocularis |
| Ankoay | Bald Eagle of Madagascar | Haliaeetus vociferoides |
| – | Humblot's Heron | Ardea humbloti |
| – | Bernier's teal | Anas bernieri |
Several migratory species choose as the Mahavavy Kinkony complex passage site. 15 species are regularly visiting the area, the best known are:
| Malagasy name | Common name | Scientific name |
| Samaka | Flamingo | Phoenicopterus ruber |
| Sotrosogny | Spatula d ’ Africa | Platalea alba |
| – | Leschenault gravelot | Charadrius leschenaultia |
| – | Mongolian Plover | Charadrius mongolus |
| – | Great gravelot | Charadrius hiaticula |
| Samby | Saunders's tern | Sterna saundersii |
| Samby | Diamond Sterne | Sterna sumatrana |
| Samby | Sterne traveller | Sterna bengalensis |
Accessible from May to November. NDAO-i-Travel organize comfortable bivouacs in order to observe this exceptional avifauna in peace. The visit can be continued by visiting the nearby Antrema biocultural site, the Arab remains of Antsoheribory in Boeny Bay, which belong to the same complex.
Watch more photos about Mahavavy River and Kinkony Lake here.
