Half Moon Caye, Belize
Ten ounces of bones and ten ounces of feathers! And only about three pounds in total weight! Yet this bird has an astonishing wingspan of seven feet or more. The magnificent frigatebird is one of five species of frigatebirds in the world, and the only one we are likely to see here in the Caribbean Sea. In fact, it nests here on beautiful Half Moon Caye, in a huge colony that may include 500 pairs. Mixed in with the frigatebirds are an equal number of red-footed boobies, both species content to be occupying their flimsy stick nests side-by-side with the other. The bright red gular pouch of this male is deflated as it soars over the ziricote and mangroves trees that support the colony. As a territorial prerogative, the male selects a prime nest site, inflates his “balloon” into a huge red orb, raises his 6-inch, hooked bill, and rattles a signal of dominance. Other males are thus dissuaded from interloping on the nest site, while a female mate is warmly welcomed.
The single eggs of each species have hatched now. Some of the young boobies have already acquired their soft-brown juvenal plumage and are flying. The young frigatebirds, however, still have some months to go before they fledge and can test their angled, glider wings. In fact, the mother bird may spend an entire year incubating, fledging and attending to her single chick, thus precluding her chances of nesting in consecutive years. Not so, the males; they may take up with a new mate the next year. The boobies, on the other hand, complete their nesting cycle in less than nine months and can nest each year. This colourful colony is one of nature’s special treasures. We are delighted that it is now protected within Belize’s first national park.
Seabirds often choose offshore islands to breed. This gets them safely away from large mammalian predators and puts them close to a healthy marine food supply. Even avian predators such as the Peregrine Falcon, including the female that swept low over the colony as we watched, are no real threat to large seabirds.
The abundance of life below the calm ocean surface was not forgotten by our momentary diversion to seabirds. Crystal clear water enhanced the colours among the twisted beds of hard corals, soft corals and sponges, each hiding a variety of feather duster worms, tiny shrimps, secretive crabs and slow-moving gastropods. The reef fishes and spiny lobsters were here as well, adding to the colour. Our morning venture into the water was so pleasing that we decided to spend our final afternoon doing the same thing - exploring another underwater venue, this time off one of the many Turneffe Islands. A sleek tarpon was spotted, as were a huge barracuda, an enormous stingray, a green moray (surprisingly out of its tunneled hiding place), black durgons, squirrelfish and tiny purple-and-gold fairy basslets. As predicted, this was a satisfying and memorable experience, both to those who snorkeled and to those who dove with scuba gear. We will not soon forget the exciting images of Belize and Honduras.
Ten ounces of bones and ten ounces of feathers! And only about three pounds in total weight! Yet this bird has an astonishing wingspan of seven feet or more. The magnificent frigatebird is one of five species of frigatebirds in the world, and the only one we are likely to see here in the Caribbean Sea. In fact, it nests here on beautiful Half Moon Caye, in a huge colony that may include 500 pairs. Mixed in with the frigatebirds are an equal number of red-footed boobies, both species content to be occupying their flimsy stick nests side-by-side with the other. The bright red gular pouch of this male is deflated as it soars over the ziricote and mangroves trees that support the colony. As a territorial prerogative, the male selects a prime nest site, inflates his “balloon” into a huge red orb, raises his 6-inch, hooked bill, and rattles a signal of dominance. Other males are thus dissuaded from interloping on the nest site, while a female mate is warmly welcomed.
The single eggs of each species have hatched now. Some of the young boobies have already acquired their soft-brown juvenal plumage and are flying. The young frigatebirds, however, still have some months to go before they fledge and can test their angled, glider wings. In fact, the mother bird may spend an entire year incubating, fledging and attending to her single chick, thus precluding her chances of nesting in consecutive years. Not so, the males; they may take up with a new mate the next year. The boobies, on the other hand, complete their nesting cycle in less than nine months and can nest each year. This colourful colony is one of nature’s special treasures. We are delighted that it is now protected within Belize’s first national park.
Seabirds often choose offshore islands to breed. This gets them safely away from large mammalian predators and puts them close to a healthy marine food supply. Even avian predators such as the Peregrine Falcon, including the female that swept low over the colony as we watched, are no real threat to large seabirds.
The abundance of life below the calm ocean surface was not forgotten by our momentary diversion to seabirds. Crystal clear water enhanced the colours among the twisted beds of hard corals, soft corals and sponges, each hiding a variety of feather duster worms, tiny shrimps, secretive crabs and slow-moving gastropods. The reef fishes and spiny lobsters were here as well, adding to the colour. Our morning venture into the water was so pleasing that we decided to spend our final afternoon doing the same thing - exploring another underwater venue, this time off one of the many Turneffe Islands. A sleek tarpon was spotted, as were a huge barracuda, an enormous stingray, a green moray (surprisingly out of its tunneled hiding place), black durgons, squirrelfish and tiny purple-and-gold fairy basslets. As predicted, this was a satisfying and memorable experience, both to those who snorkeled and to those who dove with scuba gear. We will not soon forget the exciting images of Belize and Honduras.
