Birds of the Galapagos
 Boobies received their name by allowing them to be captured while asleep.
Boobies are a part of the Sulidae family made up of ten species of long-winged
sea birds the size of geese. Their feet are completely webbed including hind toes,
not free as in a duck. Boobies live near tropical and subtropical islands around the
world, coming ashore only to breed. At sea they can be seen diving from the sky to catch
fish. The Galapagos is home to three varieties of booby the Blue-Footed,
Red-Footed
and Masked Boobies.
Named for their blue legs and feet
these are the most common and non-descript of the Galapagos Booby. Their natural
habitat extends from Peru to Mexico. Young blue-foots look quite similar to adults
yet it takes 2 to 3 years to reach their adult plumage of a pale streaked head, dark
mantle with white patches on the nape and rump, white bellies and a dark tail.
Blue-Footed Boobies nest in colonies. In large colonies there is almost
continuous breeding with pairs nesting every 7 to 9 months. They can be seen
breeding on most islands north of the equator in the Galapagos.
The
smallest booby grows to be 28 in (71 cm) long with a wingspan of 4-½ ft (1.37
m). Most of the Red-Foots are all brown with the exception of red legs and feet
and a light blue bill with a red base. A small percent of the red-foots are
mistaken for masked boobies with white heads, bodies and wings, red feet and legs, and blue beaks.
Colonial in nature the Red-Footed differs from the other boobies by making their nests
in small trees and shrubs. Colonies can be found on Tower, Culpepper, Wenman, Gardener-near-Floreana, Punta and Isla Pitt. They are rarely seen in areas other
than where they breed. Eggs can be found throughout the year with colonies hatching at the
same times.
The largest of the Galapagos Booby grow to 30 to 35 inches (76 to 89 cm) in length with
a wingspan of 5 to 6 ft (1.5 to 1.8 m). Adult birds are easily identified with their
beautiful white head, body and wing coverts, dark tails, masks, and patches on their
backs. Young masked boobies with their gray legs and feet their dark head and
bellies can be mistaken for the brown booby. Masked Boobies are common in the tropics and subtropics nesting in colonies along
cliffs or at the sea edge. These are the only boobies in the Galapagos to have an
annual breeding cycle, though the cycle varies between islands. On Tower Island most
of the eggs are laid between August and November while on Hood Island the eggs are laid
from November to February.
Galapagos Penguins
Yes, penguins do exist on the equator! The
Galapagos Penguin (Spheniscus
mendiculus) is the most northerly occurring of all the penguins. Endemic to the
islands at approximately 14 inches in height it is smaller and more duck-like than its
southern cousins of the Antarctic. Adult penguins have a bluish-black head, back and
flippers when new. Older worn feathers, dull to a brown color. Their underside
is white with the exception of a black line along the side and scatter feathers on the
chest.
They were brought to the Galapagos by the Humboldt Current,
which brings cold waters and nutrients north from Antarctica. The Galapagos
Penguins live in colonies feeding on small fish caught while swimming
underwater.
Galapagos Penguins mate for life. Nesting occurs throughout the year
with the majority of nests being seen between May and January. Some penguins may
mate as often as every 6 months. Female penguins lay 1 to 2 eggs each season.
The eggs are laid in holes under the lava and the pair shares the responsibility of
watching over the nest. In years with warm waters from the El Niño Current,
life changes in the Galapagos including heavy declines in the penguin population.
The total population of Galapagos Penguins is a couple of thousand.
Nesting occurs on Fernandina and Isabela. The best chances for seeing Galapagos
Penguins are on Fernandina, Isabela, Santiago, Bartolome (where display and mating
can be seen), northern Santa Cruz and Floreana. It is rare to see penguins on the
other islands.
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The Galapagos Islands is home to 13 species of finch, belonging to 4 genera.
These finches all evolved from a single species similar to the Blue-Black Grassquit Finch
Volatina
Jacarina commonly found along the Pacific Coast of South America. Once in the
Galapagos Islands the finches adapted to their habitat and the size and shape of their
bills reflect their specializations. Vegetarian Finch and Ground Finch all have
crushing bills while Tree Finch have a grasping bill and Cactus Finch, Warbler Finch and
Woodpecker Finch have probing bills.