Land‐use change is the most important driver of biodiversity loss worldwide and particularly so in the tropics, where natural habitats are transformed into large‐scale monocultures or heterogeneous landscape mosaics of largely unknown conservation value. Using birds as an indicator taxon, we evaluated the conservation value of a landscape mosaic in northeastern Madagascar, a biodiversity hotspot and the center of global vanilla production. We assessed bird species richness and composition by conducting point counts across seven prevalent land‐use types (forest‐ and fallow‐derived vanilla agroforests, woody and herbaceous fallow that are part of a shifting cultivation system, rice paddy, forest fragment and contiguous old‐growth forest). We find that old‐growth forest had the highest species richness, driven by a high share of endemics. Species richness and community composition in forest‐derived vanilla agroforest were similar to forest fragment, whereas fallow‐derived vanilla agroforest was most comparable to woody fallow. The open land‐use types herbaceous fallow and rice paddy had fewest species. Across forest fragments, vanilla agroforests, and woody fallows, endemic bird species richness was positively correlated to landscape‐scale forest cover. We conclude that both fallow‐ and forest‐derived vanilla agroforests play an important but contrasting role for bird conservation: Fallow‐derived agroforests are less valuable but take fallow land out of the shifting cultivation cycle, possibly preventing further degradation. Conversely, forest‐derived agroforests contribute to forest degradation but may avoid total loss of tree cover from forest fragments. Considering the land‐use history of agroforests may thus be a promising avenue for future research beyond the case of vanilla. in Malagasay is available with online material Famintinana Ny fampiasana ny tany dia isan'ireo vesatra lehibe indrindra amin'ny fahasimban'ny tontolo iainana eran‐tany. Hita indrindra izany amin'ireo tany tropikaly, izay iharan'ny famadihana ny ala ho toeram‐pambolena midadasika mifototra amin'ny vokatra iray karazana monja na koa ireo karazam‐boly miharo amin'ny ala. Tsy mbola tena fantatra hatreto ny lanjan'izany eo amin'ny fiarovana ny tontolo iainana. Teto dia nampiasaina manokana ny vorona ho tondro handrefesana ny fahatsaran'ny tontolo iainana amin'ireo karazam‐boly mifangaro amin'ny ala tany amin'ny faritra avaratra andrefan'i Madagasika. Izany faritra izany moa dia toerana manan‐danja manokana eo amin'ny zavaboahary no sady mpamokatra voly fanondrana lafo vidy toa ny lavanila. Natao ny fanisana ny vorona hita isan'irigirika teo amin'ireo endri‐panovana ny ala mahatratra karazany fito ho toeram‐pambolena (voly lavanila anaty ala, tavy nanjary voly lavanila, hazo miharo bozaka tavy antitra navadika ho voly lavanila, tanimbary, ary ala mitsitokotoko sy ala mikitroka). Nahitana ny ankamaroan'ny karazam‐borona zanatany ohatra ny ala mikitroka. Mitovy kokoa ny karazam‐borona hita amin'ny voly lavanila anaty ala sy ny ala mitsitokotoko, raha mifanakaiky kokoa izany amin'ny tavy nanjary voly lavanila sy ny hazo miharo bozaka. Ireo toerana tsy mikitroka sy ny tanimbary kosa dia zara raha misy karazam‐borona. Amin'ireo ala mitsitokotoko dia hita fa mifandraika amin'ny haben'ny faritra mbola rakotra ala ny hamaroan'ny karazam‐borona zanatany. Azo fintinina hoe ny tavy sy ireo voly miharo ala dia manana anjara toerana lehibe na dia mifanohitra amin'ny fiarovana ny vorona aza : ny tavy misy voly miharo ala dia tsy tena mety amin'ny vorona, nefa kosa manampy amin'ny fambolena ka mety hisorohana ny fanimbana ny ala mikitroka. Mifanohitra amin'izany, ny voly miharo ala dia mety hanimba ny ala, saingy mety hisoroka kosa ny fanapahana ireo ala mitsitokotoko. Ny fandinihana ny tantaram‐pitrandrahana ny voly anaty ala dia mety hanana anjara toerana amin'ny fikarohana ho avy, mihoatra ny tranga voly lavanila.. In the biodiversity hotspot Madagascar, species are at risk of extinction due to land‐use change. Using data from a land‐use trajectory in the north‐east of the country, we show how higher level endemic bird species, i.e. those species endemic on genus or family level, are particularly affected by ongoing deforestation and forest degradation. The most unique species are thus most at risk, calling for a sustainable land‐use transformation to protect Madagascar’s biodiversity.