Galapagos Birding

And during the subsequent months, they dedicate themselves to breeding.

When the courtship reaches its climax, the female will lay a clutch of a few eggs in one of the several nests that the male has carefully built and leaves them entirely to the male's care for incubating and feeding the hatchlings.

And the female? She goes off looking for another male to start again the reproductive cycle. This reproductive behavior called polyandry, in which females have different male partners, could have a purpose of preventing "damaged genes" for future offspring.



This behavior is a response to evolutionary mechanisms in which all participants receive a benefit. In the case of the hatchlings, they are protected, fed and taken care of.

Male Finches make sure that their genetic material is passed on, an interest in male's nature.

Females take advantage of the presence of other breeding males, resources, courtship and the long reproductive cycle to start all over again.

It is an energetic cost but with the advantage of enlarging and diversifying the genetic reserve of the female. Thus, she receives a diversified genetic pool and takes advantage of a long and available reproductive period.

See Beautiful Galapagos Islands Pictures

Blue Footed Boobies are known as fearless divers from 100 feet (30 mt) or more and picturesque dancers with their beaks pointing up to the sky, while stomping the ground with their huge bright blue webbed feet.

Red Footed Boobies are the only ones with prehensile feet. They nest on Palo Santo trees or bushes.

These boobies start mating when they still have their juvenile plumage. You can see them abundantly on Genovesa Island

The Waved Albatross amaze visitors with their spectacular courtship-displays. This marvelous choreographed ritual lasting up to 20 minutes, reaches its peak in October with the new-found couple then waiting until the following year to breed.

You can see them only at Espanola Island Albatrosses depart their lovely grounds by early January and return by early April.

The Flightless Cormorants live in the Islands of Fernandina and Isabela, where there is plenty of food and nesting habitat for this unusual seabird.

In these Islands with plenty of food and safety, the Galapagos cormorants had no practical use for their wings and, simply, by means of natural selection, became flightless.

There are many Galapagos birding sites in this Archipelago where you can observe finches and other Galapagos birds, some of these sites include: Cerro Dragon, Santa Cruz, Floreana and Espanola Island.

Find Economic Galapagos Islands Flights here

Because of their isolation from the mainland Galapagos birds are unafraid of humans and more approachable than anywhere else. The Galapagos Islands are one of the greatest of all birdwatching destinations.

In Galapagos there are around 120 bird species, many of which are endemic to these group of Islands, found nowhere else on earth.

The warm season beginning in January is the best time of the year for Galapagos birding activities.

Galapagos Recommended Reading:

Chasing a Dream in the Galapagos: A Personal Evolution
A journey of self-discovery unfolds as a woman travels with her adult daughters to the Galapagos Islands to see natural selection in action. It's a travel book that will inspire you to take a trip of your own. (An Excellent Family Book)

Galapagos: A Natural History
This is an attractive and comprehensive guidebook. You will find an easy-to-use text which details the natural history of the plants and animals found in the Galapagos Islands. Visitor information about the various tourist sites are given. (This book is the "Bible" for all travelers to the Galapagos)

More About Galapagos

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Galapagos Albatross Bird

Galapagos Boobies

Galapagos Ecology

Best Galapagos Diving Tours

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