The Galapagos Islands: a Bird Watcher's Paradise.

By Austin Thomas


Bird watching is a fun past-time for all, and for major birders, a bird watching tour in the Galapagos Islands is a total dream. It's an chance to trace Darwin's journey and experience the unique and rare animals that influenced his theories. The Galapagos are off the coast of Ecuador, and represent a unusual collection of diverse flora and fauna. There are great birding expeditions to go on in South America, but the Galapagos are really a unique experience.

If you're sufficiently lucky to take a bird watching vacation in the Galapagos Islands, here are a few of the species you'll likely see:

Galapagos Hawk (Buteo galapagoensis) : This species is only found in the Galapagos, and is very rare, with only about 150 breeding pairs left. Like other birds of prey, the males are much tinier than the females. Adults are usually black or brown, and they eat small reptiles, rodents and insects. Since the Galapagos are located near the equator, there is no change in seasons and as such, the hawks buddy at intervals throughout the year, instead of during a particular mating season.

Wonderful Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) : Frigates are unusual looking birds and abundant in the area. Their enormous wingspans (215 cm, or 85 inches) and unique red chest pouches that inflate when they're breeding make them straightforward to pick out. The birds don't float on water very well, and hunt for their food in the water with their long, hooked beaks.

Blue-footed Booby (Sula nebouxii) : Though these birds live all around the Pacific Ocean, there are huge populations in the Galapagos Islands. Their name comes from the Spanish word bobo, which means fool or clown, because they look clumsy. They are renowned for diving from cliffs into the ocean to search for food, and also have a loud, distinct mating call.

You can visit galapagos trips for more information.




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