Skip to main content

Photo: Fred.leviez / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Near Threatened

Lafresnaye’s Vanga

Xenopirostris xenopirostris

Lafresnaye's Vanga (Xenopirostris xenopirostris) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.

The Lafresnaye’s Vanga (Xenopirostris xenopirostris) is a member of the Vangidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 59.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.

NT Near Threatened

Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Passeriformes
  3. Family Vangidae Vangas & Allies
  4. Genus Xenopirostris
  5. Species xenopirostris

Where it lives

Southwestern Madagascar

Quick facts

Weight
59.5 g
Family
Vangidae
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Lafresnaye’s Vanga is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Behaviour

A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.

Migration

The Lafresnaye’s Vanga is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Lafresnaye’s Vanga (Xenopirostris xenopirostris) is a species of bird in the Vangidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF sw Madagascar.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 59.5 g, with a wing length of about 11.9 cm and a tail of around 8.8 cm.

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 41,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.

Songs & calls

Lafresnaye’s Vanga — Song

Recorded by Peter Boesman Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Lafresnaye’s Vanga?

The Lafresnaye’s Vanga is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 59.5 g.

Where does the Lafresnaye’s Vanga live?

The Lafresnaye’s Vanga is found across Africa with a range covering AF sw Madagascar, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.

What family does the Lafresnaye’s Vanga belong to?

The Lafresnaye’s Vanga (Xenopirostris xenopirostris) belongs to the Vangidae family, in the order Passeriformes.

What does the Lafresnaye’s Vanga eat?

The Lafresnaye’s Vanga is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the Lafresnaye’s Vanga migrate?

The Lafresnaye’s Vanga is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Lafresnaye’s Vanga endangered?

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

What sound does the Lafresnaye’s Vanga make?

1 real field recording of the Lafresnaye’s Vanga — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Lafresnaye’s Vanga's range?

The Lafresnaye’s Vanga has a mapped global range of about 41,000 km².

Conservation

Near Threatened

Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.

How to help birds

Explore more birds

More in Vangidae

More in Songbirds

Guides for this bird

Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds

How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.

4 min read

Back to top