Genovesa Island
This is probably the most spectacular time of year for this particular island, as this is the season when Genovesa is covered with red balloons. This odd adaptation to finding a mate is characteristic of that spectacular seabird: the frigate bird. Sleek and black when not courting, when time comes to attract a mate they inhale into their gular sacs, gradually filling them with air. These huge crimson balloons, beautifully set off against the ebony of their plumage, are used by the male great frigate birds at this time of year to attract the white-chested females flying about overheard. They start early in the morning, sitting on their chosen nest site, red pouches inflated and immense wings spread out, keeping a keen eye open for members of the other sex. As soon as a female flies over head, the enthusiastic male, that typically chooses nesting sites within close proximity to one another so as to attract more females to a given area, springs to life and starts shaking his wings and making a funny sound like Indian warriors (UUU-UUU). Once a female chooses one brilliant sac in particular, she flies low above him, driving him into a frenzy which heightens when she eventually lands by his side. He keeps shaking his wings, wrapping one around her so as to close off her vision of surrounding males, and rapidly sways his head, tilted back, from side to side so as to show off this wonderful, eccentric crimson appendage.
This unique courtship ritual truly is a spectacular show, and we all had ample opportunity to observe it during our morning outing along the coralline beach of Darwin Bay.
This remote, northern island is a haven for oceanic birds and we also came across hundreds of red footed boobies, swallow tailed gulls, and a few endemic lava gulls.
After the walk we had time to explore the warmer, more tropical waters bathing the north of the archipelago during a snorkelling outing along the inside wall of the caldera of this island. Here we saw many different tropical fish species and also the Galápagos fur sea lions.
On our afternoon hike, we were hoping to catch a glimpse the short-eared owl, which, unusually, hunts during the day here. Our luck stayed with us, and we found two of them, actively preening, hunting and keeping their watchful eyes open for potential prey. This was a special day on Genovesa Island.
This is probably the most spectacular time of year for this particular island, as this is the season when Genovesa is covered with red balloons. This odd adaptation to finding a mate is characteristic of that spectacular seabird: the frigate bird. Sleek and black when not courting, when time comes to attract a mate they inhale into their gular sacs, gradually filling them with air. These huge crimson balloons, beautifully set off against the ebony of their plumage, are used by the male great frigate birds at this time of year to attract the white-chested females flying about overheard. They start early in the morning, sitting on their chosen nest site, red pouches inflated and immense wings spread out, keeping a keen eye open for members of the other sex. As soon as a female flies over head, the enthusiastic male, that typically chooses nesting sites within close proximity to one another so as to attract more females to a given area, springs to life and starts shaking his wings and making a funny sound like Indian warriors (UUU-UUU). Once a female chooses one brilliant sac in particular, she flies low above him, driving him into a frenzy which heightens when she eventually lands by his side. He keeps shaking his wings, wrapping one around her so as to close off her vision of surrounding males, and rapidly sways his head, tilted back, from side to side so as to show off this wonderful, eccentric crimson appendage.
This unique courtship ritual truly is a spectacular show, and we all had ample opportunity to observe it during our morning outing along the coralline beach of Darwin Bay.
This remote, northern island is a haven for oceanic birds and we also came across hundreds of red footed boobies, swallow tailed gulls, and a few endemic lava gulls.
After the walk we had time to explore the warmer, more tropical waters bathing the north of the archipelago during a snorkelling outing along the inside wall of the caldera of this island. Here we saw many different tropical fish species and also the Galápagos fur sea lions.
On our afternoon hike, we were hoping to catch a glimpse the short-eared owl, which, unusually, hunts during the day here. Our luck stayed with us, and we found two of them, actively preening, hunting and keeping their watchful eyes open for potential prey. This was a special day on Genovesa Island.
