White-breasted Mesite

Mesitornis variegatus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, I, 1838)

110 gWeight

The white-breasted mesite or white-breasted roatelo (Mesitornis variegatus) is a ground-dwelling bird endemic to Madagascar.

Busiest months: October–November · Most records: Madagascar

Vulnerable

Where and when it's recorded

White-breasted Mesite has been recorded at 7 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Ankarafantsika NPMadagascar235 records
Ankarafantsika – Circuit CoquereliMadagascar234 records
Ankarafantsika – Circuit RetendrikaMadagascar159 records

More places

Ankarafantsika Park HeadquartersMadagascar98 records
Ankarafantsika NP – Lac RavelobeMadagascar44 records
Ifaty – spiny forest reservesMadagascar2 records
Andasibe Mantadia National ParkMadagascar1 record

Countries and regions with the most records

Madagascar

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The white-breasted mesite or white-breasted roatelo (Mesitornis variegatus) is a ground-dwelling bird endemic to Madagascar. One of three species in the mesite family, Mesitornithidae, it is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It has a small population and is restricted to five sites in the north and west of the island, and one in the east.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the White-breasted Mesite?

The White-breasted Mesite weighs around 110 g.

Where does the White-breasted Mesite live?

Its breeding range: Africa: patchily northwestern, northeastern, ce Madagascar. It is most often recorded in Madagascar.

When is the best time to see the White-breasted Mesite?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October and November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the White-breasted Mesite endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the White-breasted Mesite as Vulnerable.

What does the White-breasted Mesite eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the White-breasted Mesite in?

It belongs to the family Mesites (Mesitornithidae), order Mesitornithiformes.

At a glance

Weight: 110 g
Habitat: Woodland
Diet: Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle: Active on the ground
Migration: Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation: Vulnerable

More measurements

Wing: 109 mm
Tail: 95 mm
Bill: 29 mm
Tarsus: 34 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: patchily northwestern, northeastern, ce Madagascar

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order: Mesitornithiformes
Family: Mesites Mesitornithidae
Genus: Mesitornis

Other birds in the genus Mesitornis

Brown MesiteMesitornis unicolor

Subdesert MesiteMonias benschi

Download illustration

Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Nigel Voaden. ↗

WebP · 1070 px

Heard it but can't see it? Mingji identifies birds by sound and photo, on your phone.