SITE GUIDE

Birdingthe GalapagosIslands

Thevista from the south coast cliffs at PuntaSuarez, Espa•ola. The cr•me de la cr•meof Galapagosvisitor sites. Photo/Ron Naveen.

Ron Naveen

cialties. Sometimes, birders mistakenly olution in Galapagostourism in the byair andwater, but prospectivevisitors visit the Galapagosbetween mid-De- HERE1980s. HASA combinationBEENAVERITABLE of events REV- has have a wealth of tours from which to cember and March when the spectac- made these enchanted islands a more choose. ular Waved Albatrossis usuallyabsent, accessible attraction to thousands of Tourism on the islandsis closelyreg- taking a post-breedingsojourn off the travelersand natural historyenthusiasts. ulated by the Ecuadoriangovernment, South American coast. In fact, a Galapagos trip has become Every visitor must employ an Ecu- Often, even for the seasoned,logistics practically de rigueur for birders and adorian company for arrangements are maddening:even with the best of -watchers of all skills and stripes. while there. Despite voluminous adver- planning and plenty of time, there is a The purposeof this account is to take tisingfor a seeminglyendless variety of decent chance that some of the rarities a modern-day look at the islands that tours at varied prices, particularly in will be missed.The problem, simply, is captivated Darwin, Melville, Beebe, American publications,it bearsnoting that some of the endemic bird Lack, Nelson, and De Roy--and to em- that all of these tour operators must and attractive indigenous have phasize the possibilities and pitfalls work with one of the five or six Ecu- very narrow ranges,or are found only solelyfrom a birder's point of view. adorian companiesthat handle charter at widely distant parts of the archipel- Ten years ago, relatively few tours cruisesthrough the islands. ago. Planningone's trip necessarilyin- visitedthe "cradle of ." Many Becausethe majority of Galapagos volves some gambling. The smaller of those trips utilized a vesselknown as visitorsare non-birders,most itineraries boatsgenerally move at lessthan eight the Lina-A, which now rests perma- reflect a generalist'sorientation. These knots per hour, a snail's pace that re- nentlyon the floor of the PacificOcean, routine itinerariesoffer a wide sampling quires a 10-day minimum to visi! the the victim of a scurrulous insurance of the avifauna, but more seriousbird important birding locations. Con- seam. Since then, Galapagos tourism students are apt to be disappointed. vetsely, the larger vesselsare much has flourishedand proliferated.This is Many people visit the Galapagoswith faster,but by choiceor by virtueof re- mainly due to the introduction of reg- inflatedbirding expectations, then suffer striction,they don't (or can't) visitsome ular air service to the islands and the acute depression(usually on the return of the premier birding haunts. conversionof many smallerfishing ves- flightto the mainland)when they realize It behooves the interested birder to sels(30-60 feet)into touting boats.Not that their itinerary never offered a question a prospective tour operator only is accessto Galapagoseasier both chancefor certain Galapagosbird sloe- closelyabout the itinerary and whether

6 American Birds,Spring 1988 or not a bi- or multi-lingual guide will be on board. Three largecruise ships are presently active in the islands, but the scene is dominated by the smaller touring ves- selsthat carry from four to twenty pas- sengers.In 1986, 26,023 touristsvisited the GalapagosIslands, and the numbers will likely rise. With the Ecuadorian economy tottering as a result of the massive 1987 earthquakes, Galapagos tourism may become a primary means for keepingthe economy afloat. All of this follows persistentstories regarding additionallanding strips (a newjet-strip openedon SanCristobal Island in 1986) and the possibility of a gambling casino Red-billedTropicbird over the south coast or EspaYola.Their shrill,policeman-like calls are and resort on southern Isabela Island. oftenheard beforethe birds are seen.Photo/Ron Naveen. Even before the 1987 earthquake, Ecuadorwasn't considereda very pros- "open" areas, visitors must stay on the and west. The cold water is an impor- perous country, thus, its attention to designatedhiking and walking paths. tant ecologicalphenomenon because of preservingGalapagos--despite the ob- Visits to the tourist sites are accom- the substantialproductivity it bringsto stacles•is a rather remarkable accom- plished by riding a panga, a small this tropical climate. This is why the plishment. The government'slatest ef- wooden boat fitted with an outboard most northerly penguins in the world fort is the 1986 proclamation of a Ma- motor, from your tourist boat to shore. survive rather well in the Galapagos. rine ResourcesReserve for Galapagos, Wet landingsare the norm, not the ex- There are 13 major islands,six minor coveringall internal watersand extend- ception. islands,42 isletswith given names, and ing at least15 nauticalmiles around the scoresof unnamed rocks, outcrops, and archipelago.On balance, the marriage footholds. Spanish place names are between the often competing goals of THE ISL•4NDS preferred by Galapagoeniansand are tourism and conservation seems to be usedhere. (A list of correspondingEn- holding stable for the moment. Galapagosstraddles the Equator, far glish names appears at the end of the One government agency, INGALA, south of Chicago and 600 miles west of article). Darwin trod four of the islands administers to the needs of the islands' Guayaquil, Ecuador. The islands are in 1835, during the voyageof the Bea- human residentsand another, the Na- bathed by two cold currentsthat bring gle, and there is the chance to traverse tional Park Service, trains naturalist rich and prey-laden, 20øC, water from some of the same earth that he walked. guides,eradicates feral cats,dogs, pigs, May to December: the Humboldt, In this century, the islandshave been goats, and rats, and establishesand which flows north along the South the focus of a number of seminal sci- maintains preservation areas. The in- American Coast and the submarine entific expeditionsand studies.William dependent Research Cromwell, which flows from the south Beebe and the New York Zoological Station,funded jointly by the Ecuador- Jan government, the Worm Wildlife Fund, and other international agencies like the Smithsonian Institution, San Diego Zoo, Frankfurt ZoologicalSoci- ety, and UNESCO, and recently, by funds from a Nature Conservancy en- dowment, carriesout scientificresearch. The Station is located in Puerto Ayora, AcademyBay, on southernSanta Cruz Island. Forty-three visitor siteshave been es- tablished, along with various rules to protect the fragile ecology.Every tour- ing vesselmust be accompaniedby a naturalist or auxiliary guide who is sanctioned,trained, and certifiedby the National Park Service or the Charles Darwin Research Station. Your guide is your "ticket" to each of the visitor sites.Generally, the sitesmust be visited in daylight("six to six" on the Equator) Elliot• Storm-Petrelcharacteristically pattering the surfaceat Tagus Cove, lsabela. This is and, with the exception of the so-called the closestrelative of the Wilson• Storm-Petrel.Photo/Ron Naveen.

Volume 42, Number 1 7 A WavedAlbatross gaping during its court- ship displayat the Punta Suarezcolony. The courtshipis accompaniedby much bowing, grunting,mooing, and sway-walking.Photo/ Ron Naveen

However, without getting to loftier like the transitional, humid, or fern-grass-sedgezones, the visiting birder doesn't have a chanceof finding some of the specialties. On one of the short (i.e. fewer than 10 days)trips on the largeand fastcruise ships,there will be no difficultyreaching importantbirding outposts like Espafiola (Waved Albatross, large-billed Large CactusGround . Hood Mocking- bird), Fernandina (GalapagosPenguin, Flightless Cormorant), and Genovesa (Red-footed Booby, Sharp-beaked Ground Finch, small-billedLarge Cactus Ground Finch). On short trips with smaller vessds,however, it's difficult to reach even one of these outer locations without detracting seriouslyfrom im- portant siteson the centralislands.

Society in the 1920s; the pioneering Darwin's Finch studies of David Lack and Peter Grant; and, Bryan Nelson's monumental seabird work in the 1960s are but a few. Galapagos also is the home of Tui De Roy, whose beautiful and sensitivephotographs have done much to popularize the islands in the 1980s,and to direct our attention to the archipelago'sfragile status. Yes, thereis much tradition and history tied to a Galapagosvisit, adding genuine luster to what would be, in any event, a spec- tacular wildlife trip. Thered gape of a callingLava Gull, a veryrare, but usually seen Galapagos endemic. Photo/ Most incomingflights land at the air- Ron Naveen. port on Baltra, also known as South SeymourIsland, which is locatedin the Ayora, hopingto hire a touringboat on Regarding creature-comforts:there's centralpart of the archipelago.You can short notice. This is a gamble that is no questionthat the largercruise ships still sail from Guayaquil to the islands likely to take a lot of time that could offer more room, but you won't neces- on one of the larger tour vessds(a good more valuably be spenton board and sarily enjoy the companyof 60-80 trav- way to look for Cape Pigeons,Parkin- en route, visiting the islands.Moreover, eling companions, and a break-neck son's Petrel, and Markham's Storm-Pe- it's not likely that one of thesespur-of- schedule.Further, the large shipsavoid trel), but this adds a couple of long, the-moment arrangementswill produce or are prohibited from certain siteslike rocky sea-daysto your trip. Flying in either a comfortable boat or a multi- Sombrero Chino Island, Black Beach on provides a quicker start. Once you've lingual guide. , and Daphne Island. paid your GalapagosPark fee at the air- Eightyto ninety per centof the Gala- Contrariwise, the smaller boats are less port ($40 U.S. in 1987), it's a shortbus pagostours are 3-, 5-, or 7-day excur- comfortable(and you may haveto share ride to the nearby cove where your sions.Ten-day trips are easilyarranged, one or, at best, two toilets), but their tourist vessel is anchored. but aren't necessarily promoted by smaller capacity (usually 6-20 passen- Some people arrive in Galapagos travel agentsor tour operators.These gers)enhances the ambienceof the is- without a pre-arranged tour, take the shorter trips concentrateon the arid lands,and the opportunityto enjoyone's ferry acrossthe Itabaca Channel, then coastal zone and adjacent shorelines fellow travelers. The smaller boats tend the bus across Santa Cruz to Puerto and mangrovesof the central islands. to spendmore time at the visitor sites.

8 AmericanBirds, Spring 1988 It must be emphasizedthat even if you've arrangeda longer trip and ob- tained the itinerary that you prefer, it's stillpossible to missa few of the endem- ics. Considerthat the CharlesMocking- bird resideson only two very small is- lands, one of which has no landing site and the other of which is strictlyoff-lim- its to visitors. Red-footed Boobies are easilyseen only in the vicinity of Gen- ovesa,far to the northeast.Further, the MangroveFinch is almostimpossible to find, and the Medium Tree Finch re- quiresat leasta two- to three-hourhike to an infrequentlyvisited portion of one particularisland!

WEATHER

Generally, the best time to visit, for birds, photography,and comfortable weather conditions, is April through June. In late June and early July, the mistygarua season begins. Although the birding remains good, the water is colder and the skies are cloudier, mak- ing the photographicopportunities a bit less than ideal. However, on the "up" side, the cloudiness reduces one's chances for severe sunburn, which al- waysis a hazardat theselatitudes. From Decemberto March, it is verywarm and the skiesare usuallyclear, but this is the wrongseason for Waved Albatrosses.If An adultRed-footer Booby in a typicalpose--ina tree--on Genovesa.Most GalapagosRed- one visits in late September through footedsare brown-morphbirds. Photo/Ron Naveen. December, the seas may be choppier than usual.Bring seasicknessmedicine, but there is everylikelihood it won't be Nifio event was the worst on record, during February-July, including two used. lastingwell into the springand summer. serious El Nifio events, a circumnavi- Nota bene.t If the islandsare suffering The mild event of 1987 was not as dev- gationof all Galapagoswaters, and visits through a serious"El Nifio" phenom- astating with seabirdsfinally getting to practically all of the visitor sites. enon, cancelyour trip altogether!Dur- back to their courtship routines in late Birding suggestionsfocus on the ofti- ing December-February cold currents May and June. cially designatedtourist sites, because are displacedto a greateror lesserextent these places are the ones you'll most by warmer flows from the north and likely be visiting.Occasionally, visits to east. Approximately every seven years off-limits areas are permitted, if an ap- this warm El Nifio counter-current is BIRD SPECIAL TIES propriate requestis made, and a few of extensive,bringing heavy rains, warm these sites are also mentioned. seas,and generallyhorrendous condi- The birder'sGalapagos objectives are tions for visitors. The effects of a serious the following 41 specialties: DARWIN'S E1Nifio may lastwell into the year. It's ß 13 endemic Darwin's Finches a time when the Darwin's Finches breed ß 4 endemic mockingbirds crazily, but the seabirds postpone To quote Michael Harris: "It is only ß 4 endemic land birds (hawk, dove, breedingbecause they cannotfind food. a wise man or a fool who thinks that he martin, flycatcher) The islandsturn green,rather than their is able to identify all of the fincheswhich ß 2 endemic water birds (rail, ) usual burnt-out red and brown, from he sees." Amen! There are 13 Darwin's ß 18 Galapagosseabirds the sudden,lush plant growth. The seas Finchesin Galapagos;the 14th member are rough, rain is abundant and annoy- The followingcomments about finding of this unique subfamily called Geos- ing and you'll likely missan inordinate these 41 specialtiesare based on six pizinae is endemic to CocosIsland, off number of birds. The 1982-1983 E1 years'experience in the islands,mostly Panama. These birds are best differen-

Volume 42, Number I 9 tiatedby bill shapeand size,which takes Ground Finch (G. magnirostris)--and parvulus),Large Tree Finch (C. psitta- quite a bit of practice.These finchesare it shouldn't be too difficult-to-find. In cula),and VegetarianFinch (Platyspiza "little brown jobs" of the highestorder, fact, a may be crassirostris)are regularin this . and they offer the most difficult iden- with the Small Ground Finch that greets The larger sizeof the LargeTree Finch tification challenge among Galapagos you at the airport! Mediums are fairly and Vegetarian Finch are very helpful, avifauna. Despite their common names, common at a number of locations. The in addition to their characteristic bill ground finchescan be found in trees. Large Ground Finch is a bit harder-to- shapes. A very good tree finch site is the path to the Tortoise Reserve in the Santa Cruz highlands. Another, in the same vicinity, is the Devine Farm, which re- quires specialpermission and, perhaps, an entrance fee. Don't be frustrated if you can't get into the Tortoise Reserve becauseit is totally overgrown, or into the Devine Farm for lack of permission. Any tree4aden area in the vicinity is a good place to look. Three other sugges- tions for good tree-finching are the grounds of Los Tuneles, a lava-tube, visitor-attractionnear Bellavista(Santa Cruz), the trail above and behind the tidal lagoon at Playa Espumilla (San- tiago) and the hike to the old salt mine at Puerto Egas,James Bay (Santiago). Galapagos(Wedge-rumped) Storm-Petrel fiying over the cli• nearPrince Philip's Steps, Gen- ovesa.Note the distinctivelarge white rump patch. Photo/Ron Naveen. Medium Tree Finch ( pauper) is found only on Floreana, and tree fincheson the ground, and cactus find, but you shouldsee them in the involves a hike of two to three hours, finches in other than cacti! Further, the arid zones along the coastlineon Santa to the humid zone, to even have a plumageand color variations,although Cruz, Genovesa and, perhaps, on chanceof spottingthis species.The best tempting and obviouspoints, aren't di- Daphne. Be careful! There are large- access is from Black Beach, on the agnosticfield marks.Many of the male billed Medium Ground Finches on northwest side of the island. Black ground finchesshow a predominately SantaCruz, especiallyin the vicinity of Beach definitely is off of the beaten black plumage and dark bill while the Darwin Station. track, and requires that your tour op- breeding,but it's more likely that you'll Sharp-beakedGround Finch(G. dif- erator arrange a visit. When you get to encounterthe drab olive greenor brown ficilis) is the mostdifficult to find in the the proper habitat, it's a matter of sort- plumage shown by females,juveniles, group, but only in terms of logistics. ing through the numerous Small and and non-breeding males. A particular Genovesa is the only regularly visited Large Tree Finchesto find your quarry. specieson one island actually may have island on which they are usually, and Woodpecker Finches (2 species). a noticeably different bill shape from easily, seen. They are present, but These are the birds that use twigs and the same speciesliving on another is- harder-to-find on Fernandina and San- cactusspines as tools to extract insects land. Moreover, there are many appar- tiago. from tree bark. Like the Large Tree and ent hybrids with which to contend. In Cactus Finches (2 species).Cactus Vegetarian finches, they are relatively addition to bill size and shape,location Ground Finch (G. scandens)should be large. The WoodpeckerFinch (Cactos- and distribution are helpful factors in easy-to-find.South Plaza, Santa Fe, and piza pallida) can possiblybe seen on one's quest for finches(see Grant 1987 the paths through the Darwin Station the tree finch trailsjust mentioned, es- or Harris 1982). are very productive.The Large Cactus peciallyin the SantaCruz highlandsand You'll probablybe greetedat the air- Ground Finch (G. conirostris),like the at Playa Espumilla (Santiago).Another port by a Small Ground Finch (Geos- Sharp-beakedGround Finch, is a mat- productive site is the trail to the "upper piza fuliginosa), which is the most ter of logistics.The small-billedvariety lake" above Tagus Cove (Isabela). The common Darwin's Finch and, indeed, of the Large CactusGround Finch is Mangrove Finch (Cactospiza helio- one of the islands' most common land found on Genovesa,the large-billedva- bates),however, is clearlythe most dif- birds. The other finches, however, pre- riety on Espafiola. It is helpful to re- ficult-to-find Darwin's Finch, and it's senta more difficulttest of birding skills, member that the Cactus Ground Finch more often missed than seen! The hab- and the best means of attack is to break is not found in locations where the itat, of course, is mangroves, and the the "Gang of 13" into smaller group- LargeCactus Ground Finch is found. bird's range is from Caleta Black to ings, and to considereach assemblage Tree Finches (4 species).You must Punta Moreno on western Isabela, on separately. get to higherelevations, above the arid southeast Isabela opposite the Cross- GroundFinches (4 species).The Me- coastal zone, to see these birds. The man (Hermanos) Islands, and, pur- dium Ground Finch (G. fortis) identi- Santa Cruz highlandsare very produc- portedly, on eastern Fernandina. The fication is a matter of practice--its bill tive, especiallynear and abovethe small most accessible,and recentlyproductive is largerthan that of the Small Ground villages of Bellavista and Santa Rosa. sitesare the mangroveclumps on west- Finch and smaller than that of the Large The Small Tree Finch (Camarhynchus ern Isabela between Caleta Black and

10 American Birds, Spring 1988 Punta Tortuga, especiallyat the latter located to the southeast of Floreana. productivefor hawks.Other good hawk site,which is just north of TagusCove. The former has no easy access(it's a sites are: Sombrero Chino; Buccaneer This particularcoastline is dotted with toweringbird stackthat, actually, offers Cove (Santiago); and, Punta Garcia outcroppingsof mangroves,some of the best breeding situation for Red- (easternIsabela). If you hike to the top which are fronted by sandy beacheson footedBooby in the south)and the latter ofVolcan Alcedo (Isabela),you'll prob- which Green Sea Turtles lay their eggs. is totally off-limitsto visitorsspecifically ably encountera few hawks,as well as, Pick a beach, go to the nearest man- in order to protect the Charles Mock- hopefully, some Galapagostortoises. groves,try to find an opening.Enter and make some "spishing" noise. The MangroveFinch is a skulker,and might be foragingin the low-lying mangrove at your feet, aswell asin the mangroves aboveyour head. There are rumorsof MangroveFinch at the Punta Espinosa visitor site on Fernandina, just across the Bolivar Channel from Punta Tor- tuga and Tagus Cove. Warbler Finch (1 species).The War- bler Finch (Certhideaolivacea) is very easily seen,especially obvious at Gen- ovesa and Espafiola, as well as in the vicinity of the Darwin Station. It has the smallestbill of all of the finches,and resembles a warbler more than a finch. In summary,maximizing your finch GalapagosHawk soaringover Espagola. This is a verygregarious Galapagos creature, often opportunitiesmeans including the fol- allowinga closeapproach when perched. Photo/Ron Naveen. lowing siteson your Galapagositiner- ary: salt mine trail (Santiago);uplands ingbird. Only 90-100 individuals sur- The beautiful, blue eye-ringedGala- trail at Playa Espumilla (Santiago);the vive. So, the modus operandi is to ask pagos Dove (Zenaida galapagoensis) Santa Cruz highlandsabove Bellavista your captain to circumnavigateCham- should be seen without difficulty; it is and Santa Rosa; the humid zone on pion Island, running-in as closely as widespread and common. Galapagos Floreana; Genovesa;Espafiola; and the possible, so that a curious Charles Martin (Progne modesta) is more dif- mangroveclumps between Caleta Black Mockingbirdmight be "spished"-outof ficult-to-find,and may be missed.Good and Punta Tortuga (westernIsabela). the abundant Opuntia cactus. Sooner locationsare: Tagus Cove (eastern Isa- or later, one is likely to emerge, albeit bela); Buccaneer Cove (Santiago); at a distance. Academy Bay; the rim of ¾olcan A1- MOCKINGBIRDS cedo(Isabela); and, Daphne. The Large- billed Flycatcher (Myiarchus magni- Three of the endemic mockingbirds LAND ENDEMICS rostris)is widespreadalthough not ter- are relativdy easy-to-find,but the last, ribly abundant and should be seen. the Charles Mockingbird (Nesominus The endemic GalapagosHawk (Bu- trifasciatus),requires some special plan- teogalapagoensis) is one of the very few ning. The GalapagosMockingbird (N. polyandrousbirds in the world. Closely WATER ENDEMICS parvulus) is the most widespread,and related to our North American Harris' is commonly seenon most of the reg- Hawk, it is a thrilling Galapagossight, The Lava Heron (Butoridessundev- ularly-visited islands. The Chatham mostly becauseit is very curious and alli) looks like a black Green-backed Mockingbird (N. melanotis)requires a often allows close approach. Regular Heron from North America and, in- trip to San Cristobal Island, and the locationsfor them are Puerto Egasand deed,they may be conspecific.Certainly Hood Mockingbird (N. macdonaldt) JamesBay (both Santiago)and the vis- along a beach or tidal lagoon, you'll see requiresa trip to EspafiolaIsland. The itor site at Santa Fe. Occasionally,the one. The tidepool behind the beach at Hood Mockingbird is the largestof the hawks soar with the Blue-footed Boo- Bahia Darwin (Genovesa)is a good lo- four, with a very large,slightly decurved bies here and at Espafiola, and at the cation for Lava and Yellow-crowned . latter site, you might find them riding Night-. The (B. The Charles Mockingbird has been the wind with the albatrosses. Unlike striatus) may be just another form of completely extirpated from Floreana, the boobies,of course,the hawksdon't the Lava Heron but, look for it at Punta the large island it formerly inhabited. plunge-diveafter sub-surfaceprey! The Cormorant (Floreana) and Caleta Tor- This is a perfectexample of how vege- trail to the end of the salt mine at Puerto tuga Negra (Santa Cruz). tational changesand feral --in Egasis very productive, and often their Rain pools or wet areas in the mi- this case cats and rats--wreak havoc on breeding activities can be observed conia, fern-sedgehighlands are the pre- naturallyoccurring species. The bird is around the lagoon at the old salt mine. ferred habitat for the Galapagos Rail now restricted to two small islands, Another Puerto Egas excursion, the (Laterallusspilonotus), but it is very se- Gardner-by-Floreanaand Champion, walk to the fur sealgrottos, also may be cretive. Possiblesites for finding this

Volume 42, Number I 11 relative of the Black Rail (L. arnaicen- High on the list of recommended large rafts below the south coast cliffs. sis) are: the Devine Farm• the Tortoise itemsto take on a Galapagostrip should By December,most have left the colony Reserve,and along the trail on the long be a mask and snorkel. Quite simply, for the South American coast. In the hike to Media Luna, all on Santa Cruz; there are very few experiences more central islands,during the nestingsea- and, the humid zone on Floreana. thrillingthan snorkelingwith penguins, son, they are rarely seen north of the and Bartoiome is a great location for latitude of Academy Bay, although someof thesevery closeand specialen- there are occasionalsightings between SEABIRDS counters!If you tire of porpoisingwith Bartoiome and Santa Cruz. In one re- the penguins, there are plenty of sea centyear. a fewwere seen soaring above Three of the seabirdsare strictly Ga- lions with which you can playfully ca- the storm-petrelcliffs on Genovesa.On iapagos endemics: Lava Gull (Larus vort. the western side of Isabela, albatrosses fuliginosus), Galapagos Penguin The spectacularWaved Albatross is are possiblefrom approximately Eliz- (Spheniscusmendiculus), and the very a major Galapagos highlight. The abeth Bay south. Their main foraging weird-looking Flightless Cormorant creme-tie-!a-cremeof Galapagosvisitor area seems to be to the south and west. (Nannopterurn harrisi). Swallow-tailed sitesis the immensealbatross colony at The Dark-rumped Petrel (Ptero- Gulls (Creagrusfurcatus) and Waved Punta Suarez (Espafiola). A few Waved dromaphaeopygia) is the most endan- Albatross(Diomedea irrorata) are in- Albatrosses also breed on a small island gered Galapagos seabird, but you digenousto Galapagos(a few Swallow- shouldn'thave difficulty seeingone on taileds breed in Colombian waters and, the longerinter-island runs. It is endan- from approximately late November to gered becauseof predation by feral an- March, Waved Albatrossesmigrate to imals in the Dark-rumped'shighlands- the west coastof South America). You breedingareas on SantaCruz, Santiago, should encounter most of the seabirds, San Cristobal, Floreana, and Isabela is- but there will be somechallenges. One lands. They have a wide-ranging for- of the storm-petrels is difficult-to-find agingproclivity, and can be seenalmost and identify (Band-rumped), and an- anywhere in Galapagos.Their iooping, other may be surprisinglyuncommon "roller coaster," Pterodroma flight is (White-vented).Red-footed Boobies are quite distinctive, and the best time to seenreadily only on, or near, Genovesa, encounterone seemsto be early morn- far to the northeast. The largestcon- ing and late afternoon. centrationsof cormorantsand penguins If you happen to spend a night in are to the west, the least visited part of Puerto Ayora, Academy Bay (Santa GalapagosIslands, but there are occa- Cruz), try risingbefore sunrise to watch sionally productiveareas for penguins the morning flight of Dark-rumped Pe- to the east. trelsout of the highlandstoward the sea. The GalapagosPenguin is the world's The dock at the Hotel Galapagosis one most northerly penguin, and one that vantage point, although any open area hasthe most flexiblebreeding strategy. along Academy Bay will suffice.In the It is prepared to raise young whether The beautifulGalapagos Dove is a common Santa Cruz highlands,the petrels nest conditions are favorable--that is, when sight in the islands Photo/Ron Naveen. in the vicinity of Media Luna and to surrounding waters are cool and most the west, for example at Los Gemdos productive. Generally, the colder water off the coast of Ecuador. The south (the sinkholes),which are easilyreached is to the west,so it's not surprisingthat coastcliffs of Espafiolarank among the on the main Puerto Ayora-Baltraroad. the penguins'stronghold is the western most awe-inspiringbirding sitesin the The last is an area where the petrels side of Isabela and Fernandina. Rec- world! Imagine sitting on the cliff edge might be seen as they begin to return ommended sites are the lava outcrops abovethe crashingwaves and pounding to their burrowsat dusk, during June- near Punta Espinosa(Fernandina), Ta- surf, with albatrosses, Red-billed Tro- October. gus Cove (western Isabela). and Eliza- picbirds, Swallow-tailed Gulls, and Audubon's Shearwaters (PuJJ•nus beth Bay (western Isabela), the latter Biue-footedand Masked (and, rarely, !herminierOare very common and eas- having very large numbers of them. Red-footed)boobies whizzing-by at eye ily seen,often in the companyof Brown If you can't get to the west, try Bar- level and above, while next to you the Noddiesin a mixed feedingflock. If you toiome where a small breeding colony albatrossesare vigorously performing do encountera large raft of them, per- hasdeveloped near the baseof the spec- their courtship dances and displays. haps off of the north coast of [sabela, tacular Pinnacle Rock. Another central- When the wind rises, the albatrosses take the chance to study the shearwa- islands site that may be productive is walk toward and around you to get to ter's unique foragingstrategies, as they Sombrero Chino, off the southeast coast the edge,then raisetheir wingsto catch hydroplanealong the surface,moving of Santiago, where stragglersor, per- the wind and soar off down the coast. forward with cockedand raisedwings, haps, new breeders, have been seen There's so much activity, that one can, and heads underwater. fairly regularly. Penguins can travel as I have, shot an unbelievable number There are three storm-petrels regu- great distances,and may make an un- of rolls of film trying to capture this larly seenin Galapagos,and with a little expected appearance at places like spectacle. luck, you should see all of them. The Academy Bay (Santa Cruz) or Punta Straggling albatrossesreturn to Es- most difficult identification problem is Cormorant (Floreana). pafiola around March, gathering in presentedby the Band-rumpedStorm-

12 AmericanBirds, Spring 1988 Petrel (Oceanodroma castro), which is there now is one sightrecord of a Red- ter. Becausetheir breedingstrongholds the largestof the three. With practice, tailed Tropicbird (P. rubricauda) en lie on the fringes,Red-footeds are the the large size is helpful in thesewaters, route to Genovesa (Harrison and Na- most difficult Galapagossulid to see. but until then, concentrate on this veen, unpub. notes, 1987). You can't missthem at Genovesa, doc- storm-petrel'szig-zag flight, with shal- Blue-footedBoobies (Sula nebouxii) umented by Bryan Nelson to be the low wingbeats, mixed in with some are very common, exceptduring severe largest colony in the world, but Red- shearwater-likegliding. It is often seen El Nifio events,and they areparticularly footeds don't frequent central island on the long, early-morning runs to obviousbecause of their inshorefeeding waters. There are small breeding colo- Genovesa,and with less regularity en habits. You should have no problem nies at Gardner-by-Floreana in the routeto Espafiola,Fernandina, and San enjoying this truly comical species, south, and Punta Pitt on the easternend Cristobal. It is usually seen in small whose"dancing" routines will fuel your of San Cristobal. GalapagosRed-foot- numbers and is not often attracted to anthropomorphism. Breeding (and, edsare predominantlybrown, although touring boats. thus, displaying) Blue-footedsare reg- the Genovesa colony contains a few The Wedge-rumped (Galapagos) ularly seen at Espafiola,Daphne, and white-morph birds. Storm-Petrels(Oceanodroma tethys) are North Seymour.Another very exciting You'll wonder why the strange very common, and their large, white sightis a feedingfrenzy of Blue-footeds Flightless Cormorant (Nannopterum rump patch is quite distinctive, even at plunge-divingen masseafter subsurface harrisi) even bothers to stretch its a distance. They are seen easily at the prey. scraggly,bedraggled wings! The cor- cliffs at Genovesa (reached by taking Although Masked Booby (S. dacty- morants, like the penguins,are concen- Prince Philip's Steps, then hiking lactra) feedsfarther offshore,it is often trated on the western side of the archi- through the Palo Santo trees to the seenbetween islands, but in much fewer pelago. Good viewing sites are Tagus cliffs), as well as on most runs between number than Blue-footeds. Masked Cove (western Isabela) and Punta Es- islands.Both Wedge-rumpedsand the Booby breeding activitiescan be ob- pinosa (Fernandina). At close range, White-vented Storm-Petrel (Oceanires served at Genovesa, Daphne, and Es- note this bird's intriguing, opaque-blue gracilis)are noticeablysmaller than the pafiola. The chocolate-headedMasked eye. If you can't get to the west, try Band-rumped.At the cliffsat Genovesa, juvenilesare readilyseparated from the Punta Garcia, in the shadowof Volcan there will be thousands of Wedge- smaller, all-brown, chest-banded Red- Alcedo, on the eastern side of Isabela rumpeds "righting" by you and, per- footedjuveniles, and the back-splotched oppositeJames Bay (Santiago).Try to haps,Short-eared Owls (Asiofiammeus) (three white patches) Blue-footed ju- get to Punta Garcia at sunrise;the cor- hunting them from the brush. (The veniles. morants often leave very early to chase Band-rumpeds also utilize these cliffs, Red-footed Boobies (S. sula) feed eels and other prey. but at night). very far from their Galapagosbreeding There are two speciesof frigatebirds The White-vented (Elliot's) Storm- colonies, and often over very deep wa- in Galapagos,breeding at various sites Petrel is an enigma. There are two sub- species,one of whichpresumably breeds in the GalapagosIslands, but a nest of either subspecieshas never been docu- mented. White-vented alwaysseem to be present in Galapagos,but its num- bers vary considerably. When sur- rounding waters are cool, they appear to be less numerous. The White-vented tends to be an inshore feeder and, in contrast to Band-rumped and Wedge- rumped, is lessoften seen on the long, inter-island runs. White-vented is the closest relative of Wilson's Storm-Petrel (Oceanitesoceanicus) and, like its con- gener, it is an inveterate foot-patterer. Chumming for White-ventedswith fish scraps,vegetable oil, or frypan grease can be very successful! Red-billed Tropicbirds (Phaeton aethereus)are bound to make at least one appearanceduring your trip. They are regularly seen at Genovesa,South Plaza, Espafiola, Devil's Crown (near Floreana), Gordon Rocks (near South Plaza) and Daphne. At Espafiola, there may be 200+ in flightat once!The Red- billed's shrill, policeman's whistle-like The cheekyHooded Mockingbird is the largestof thefour Galapagosmockingbirds Note the calls are distinctive. Red-billed is the long, slightlydecurved beak. Theseanimals practically crawl into your clothesand camera common Galapagos tropicbird, but bagsout of sheercuriosity. Photo/Ron Naveen.

Volume 42, Number I 13 throughoutthe archipelagoOnly rarely Plaza, Espafiola, North Seymour, and havebeen introduced to Galapagos,and do they breedin closeproximity to one Genovesa which are spreadingrapidly. another, North Seymour being one of SootyTerns (Sternafuscata)are well- Short-eared Owls are best found on thesesites. The Great Frigatebird(Fre- nigh impossible.They breed on Cul- Genovesaat the storm-petrel cliffs that gata minor) strongholdis Genovesa, peper, far to the northwest, and rarely, are reachedby climbing Prince Phllhp's where only a few Magnificent Frigate- if ever, visit the central islands. Brown Steps.They are diurnal petrel-hunters. birds(F. magnificens)are found. Also, Noddies(Anous stolidus) can hardlybe You may also encounter one while there are a few Greats breeding in the missed,and their nestinghabits are eas- finciting in the Santa Cruz highlands southern part of the archipelago. ily observed on a panga ride around Common Barn Owls (Tyto alba), con- Some identification points are in or- Tagus Cove (westernIsabela). vetsely,are nocturnal,and hard-to-find, der, although the minutia is bestleft to the SantaCruz highlandsbeing the most the excellent black-and-whitedrawings accessible,possible location. and text in Peter Harrison's "Seabirds.' Yellow Warbler (Dendroicapetechta) An Identification Guide." Particularly OTHER BIRDS is common and widespread. A little relevant are the "wavy" lines in the ax- spishingusually bringsout a horde of illariesof sub-adultMagnificents. Also, Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus loudly chipping warblers. Vermilion note that male Great Frigatebirdsdon't ruber)is ratheruncommon, and of great Flycatcher (Pyrocephalusrubinus) is always have the allegedly diagnostic concern to Charles Darwin Research fairly readily seen in the Santa Cruz brown carpal bars, and that some adult Station scientistsbecause its irregular highlands, on the trail above Tagus male Magnificentsshow brownish car- breedingis so easily disturbed.They Cove (Isabela),and on the hike to the pals!In breedingcondition, and at close sometimesroam quite widelythrough- rim of Volcan Alcedo, to name a few range,male Greatsshow greenish dorsal out the central islands, and a particu- sites. plumes, while those of male Magnifi- larly stunning sight is a flock of pink centsare purple. Juvenilesare a bit less flamingos flying over the black lava complicated,and femalesare very easy, are right, at Rabida, the lagoonat Playa female Greats having a pale or grayish Espumilla (Santiago), the lagoons at throat, female Magnificents having a Villamil (southeastIsabela), and at black throat. Punta Cormorant (Floreana). MARINE MAMMALS, REPTILES The endemic Lava Gull, which looks Some good sitesto try for the often like a dark Laughing Gull, should be elusive White-cheekedPintail (Arias No doubt, the birds are enough ex- seen, even though it's perhaps the bahamensis)are the old salt mine la- citement, but you'll alsohave many op- world's rarest gull, numbering about goon at Puerto Egas (Santiago),Playa portunities to savor other, spectacular 300 breedingpairs. Along with frigates, Espumilla(Santiago), Rabida, and the Galapagoswildlife. On the westernside, pelicans, and, occasionally, White- tidal poolsbehind Bahia Darwin (Gen- Bottlenosed Dolphins (Tursiops trun- vented Storm-Petrels,they are readily ovesa) and Punta Cormorant (Flo- catus)and Minke Whales(Balaenoptera attractedto the touring boatsby gutted reana). acutorostrata)are fairly regularlyseen, fish, and may be seenalmost anywhere Paint-billed Crake (Neocrex ery- with outside chancesfor Sperm (Phy- in the islands. The shoresof Academy th?ops)may be found at the same or setercatadon), Fin (B. physalus),and Bay happen to be particularly produc- lower elevationsthan the Galapagos Sei (B. borealis)Whales, Spinner Dol- tive. Laughing Gull (L. atticilia) is the Rail. Santa Cruz highlandsareas such phins(Stenella longirostris), and Ham- most overlooked gull in the islands. asthe TortoiseReserve and the Ortega merhead Sharks (Sphyrna, sp.). Cah- They are occasionallyfound here, es- and Devine farms offer the best chances. fornia(Galapagos) Sea Lions (Zalophus peciallyin winter and early spring,but Hopefully, one will run acrossyour trail californicus)are practicallyubiquitous, are passed-offas the more regularly oc- through these areas. and they make great snorkelingcom- curring Franklin's Gull (L. pipixcan). Migrant shorebirds like Ruddy panions!You can also snorkel with the It's helpful to know how to age and Turnstones(Arenaria interpres),Sand- Galapagos Fur Seals (Arctocephalus identify those two speciesaccurately. efiings( Calidrisalba), Whimbrels( Nu- galapagoensis)at the PuertoEgas (San- Swallow-tailed Gull (Creagrusfur- meniusphaeopus) and residentwaders tiago) grottos. cata), in this writer's opinion, is the like Black-neckedStilts (Himantopus Marine iguanas (Amblyrhynchus most beautiful gull in the world and one mexicanus), American Oystercatchers cristatus)are very common, with the of the more endearingGalapagos high- (Haematopuspalliatus) are bestseen at greatestconcentrations to the west At hghts.They hardlycan be missed,unless Mosquera,an islet betweenNorth Sey- Espafiola, the usually black manne ig- there is a severe E1 Nifio. Swallow- mour and Baltra, Punta Espinosa(Fer- uanasgive way to a more brightly col- taileds are nighttime-feeders,on squid nandina), and in the tide pools on the ored (greens,reds, and pinks) ones,ap- in particular, and you may see them way to the fur sealgrottos at PuertoEgas parently of the samespecies. There are foraging under the moonlight while (Santiago). two speciesof land iguanas (Conolo- you're travelingfrom islandto islandat Dark-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzusme- phus, sp.), one found easily on South night. They have a lilting, slow, deep- lacoryphus)is verysecretive. Sometimes Plaza, the other not so easily found on flapping flight. At dusk, you may wit- productive sitesare the trail to the old Santa Fe. You'll have no trouble seeing ness the beautiful, outward rush of saltmine at PuertoEgas (Santiago) and the abundantLava Lizard (Tropidurus, hundreds of floppy-winged Swallow- the Santa Cruz highlands.There is now sp.), but the non-poisonousand very taileds,headed for their feedinggrounds some concern that this speciesis threat- secretive snakes (Dromicus, sp ) are well offshore.Breeding sites are South ened by the Smooth-billed Anis that easilymissed.

14 American Birds, Spnng 1988 The famous Galapagos Tortoise (Geocheloneelephantopus) is very hard- to-seein the wild. The best chances,as- GALAPAGOS ISLANDS suming they're not laying eggsin the lowlands, are the Santa Cruz Tortoise Spanish English Reserve,the Devine Farm (SantaCruz), and the trail to the rim ofVolcan Alcedo Baltra South Seymour (Isabela). Bartolome Bartholomew Daphne Daphne Espafiola Hood Fernandina CONCLUSION Narborough Floreana (Santa Maria) Charles Genovesa Tower A trip to Galapagosis a trip of a life- Isabela time. The islandsare a paradisewhere Albemarle Los Hermanos Crossman animals allow an unbelievably close Marchena Bindloe approach, and the visitor is overcome Pinta with infectious, rampant anthropo- Abingdon Rabida Jervis morphism! But, it's not a place to visit San Cristobal Chatham quickly. Again, for those who take the Santa Cruz time to arrangeat leasta 10 days' visit, Indefatigable Santa Fe more and more of the islands' charms Barrington James will be savored.Galapagos, in a manner Santiago(San Salvador) Sombrero Chino Chinaman's Hat of speaking,is a state of mind. On my trips, I regularly plan for two full days at the Punta Suarezalbatross colony on Espafiola, and usually near the end of the trip. Invariably, the group is sitting on the cliffs as that seconddays' sunset approaches,all talk now overtaken by a weighty silence,with the only noises BIBLIOGRAPHY MOORE, De ROY T., and A. MOORE. heard being the moos, grunts,and sighs 1980 (perhaps out-of-print). Guide to De ROY (MOORE), T. 1980. Galapagos: Visitor Sites of the ParqueNactonal Ga- of the displaying albatrosses.As the Islands Lost in Time. Viking. (Now lapagos(Guia a Los Sitiosde Visita del blues and pinks of the fading sunsetap- available in paperback, De Roy's mas- Parque Nacional Galapagos).Galapagos pear, the group rises to take that last terpiececontains exellent photographs of National Park Service.(Excellent, bilin- walk back to the boat, and it's not un- most of Galapagos'flora and fauna; this gual descriptionsof the major visitorsites, book is the best possibleinspiration for usualto seetears running down cheeks, with maps and lists of fauna and flora a Galapagostrip.) or to see passengershugging and em- likely to be encounteredat each site.) GRANT, P. 1987.Ecology and Evolutionof LACK, D. 1983. Darwin's Finches. Cam- bracingone another. Here, in the mid- Darwin• Finches. Princeton. (Grant's bridge University Pres• Up-to-date re- dle of the Pacific, hundreds of miles copiousre-analysis of Lack's theoriesre- print of Lack's classicfinch study, with from the mass of human civilization, is garding the evolution of the Darwin's an excellent introduction and additional a sanctuary,a haven. A placeto think, Finches, crammed with interesting in- notesby L. Ratcliffe and P. Boag.) to meditate, and to appreciate.Birding formation about this famous group of NAVEEN, R. 1982 (out-of-print). Storm- birds.) Petrels of the World: _/In Introductory Galapagosisn't just birding; it's touch- HARRIS, M. 1982. A Field Guide to the ing the sensitiveheart and soul of our Guide to their Field Identification. Btrds of Galapagos.Collins. (Short on American Birding Association.(Sugges- existence. artwork, but otherwise excellent, es- tions for sorting through. and properly pecially regardingdistribution, breeding, identifying, storm-petrelsby their flight ecology,and overall natural historiesof and feedingcharacteristics.) Galapagosbirds; highly recommended.) THORNTON, I. 1971. (out-of-print). Dar- HARRISON, P. 1985. Seabirds: An Identi- wink Islands. Natural History Press. fication Guide (SecondEdition). Croom (Excellent overview of all Galapagos Helm. (The outstanding seabird identi- fauna). fication text presently available, and a ACKNOWLEDGMENTS SCHOFIELD, E. K. 1984. Plants of the Ga- must for sortingthrough the various sea- lapago&Universe. (Handy and very use- bird plumages encountered in Galapa- Special thanks to Sylvia Harcourt, ful pocketguide to Galapagosplants.) gos.) WHITE, A., and B. Epler. 1982. Galapagos __. 1987. Seabirdsof the World:A Pho- formerly Assistantto the Director, and Guide. Libri Mundi. (Good, generalin- Marcia Wilson, formerly Chief Terres- tographicGf•ide. ChristopherHelm. (A troduction to Galapagos flora, fauna, trial Ecologist of the Charles Darwin photographicapproach to seabirdiden- geology,geography, and life zones; not tification, with superb line drawings of Research Station, for reviewing the as comprehensive as the new Jackson all of the world's tubenoses.) book, but still recommended.) manuscript, and to Mark Oberle, Her- JACKSON, M. 1985. Galapagos:A Natural nan Vargas,and Tui De Roy for helpful History Guide. University of Calgary.(A suggestionsand wise counsel. superb, overall natural history guide to all Galapagosfauna, flora, and geology; -2378 Rt. 97, Cooksville, MD very highly recommended.) 21723

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