The rufous vanga is a species of bird in the family Vangidae. It is monotypic within the genus Schetba. It is endemic to Madagascar, where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.
Region
Madagascar
Typical Environment
Found in lowland forests across western dry deciduous zones and locally in humid evergreen forests of the eastern lowlands. It favors primary and mature secondary forest but also uses forest edges and selectively logged areas if large trees and dead wood remain. The species forages from understory to mid-canopy, especially along trunks and thicker branches. It is generally absent from open farmland and high-elevation montane habitats.
Altitude Range
0–1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The rufous vanga is the sole species in the genus Schetba, a hallmark of Madagascar’s remarkable evolutionary radiation of vangas. It uses its strong, slightly hooked bill to pry into bark and dead wood for hidden prey. Often conspicuous in the mid-canopy, it may accompany mixed-species foraging parties in suitable forest. Its rich rufous coloration makes it one of the more easily recognized Malagasy forest birds.
Temperament
alert and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with direct, bounding flights between trees
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small family groups, keeping close contact calls while foraging. It nests in trees, placing a neat cup in a fork or on a sturdy horizontal branch during the rainy season. Territorial pairs defend suitable patches of forest but may tolerate neighbors when food is abundant.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of clear whistles interspersed with harsher churring notes and scolds. Calls carry well through the mid-canopy and are used to maintain contact while moving through the forest.
Plumage
Overall warm rufous to chestnut body with paler underparts and a contrasting lighter throat. The wings and back are deeper rufous, with clean, smooth feathering and minimal streaking. The robust, slightly hooked bill is prominent and pale bluish-gray. Subtle facial contrast and a neat finish give it a tidy, compact appearance.
Diet
Primarily hunts insects such as beetles, caterpillars, orthopterans, and spiders taken from bark, crevices, and foliage. It may lever bark and probe dead wood with its strong bill to expose hidden prey. Occasionally it snaps small prey in short sallies and may take small vertebrates opportunistically.
Preferred Environment
Feeds along trunks, larger branches, and mid-canopy foliage in intact and semi-natural forest. Often works edges, gaps, and trails where insects concentrate, and sometimes joins mixed-species flocks to exploit disturbed prey.
