Genovesa Island
We had a truly perfect day on the island of Genovesa, sometimes called “Bird” or “Hitchcock” Island due to the innumerable avian species that call this place home. We saw a lot of different kinds of both land and seabirds, but the one that got our attention most was a spectacular white bird with long tail. We were first alerted to their presence by a loud, drawn out cackling sound over our heads, as they came back to their nest. Looking up, we were dazzled by the white plumage of the bird, with its brilliant red bill and marked black mask. The red-billed tropic bird is the only one of three tropic bird species that is found in the Galapagos.
The red-billed tropic bird (Phaethon aethereus) is colonial and makes its nest on overhanging ledges or in the crevices of steep slopes and cliffs.
It seems that suitable nesting sites may be a limiting factor in the distribution and abundance of this species. Nesting sites are jealously guarded and disputes may result in serious fights.
Tropicbirds feed chiefly on squid and fish. They catch their food by steep plunge diving and normally feed well away from land.
We had a truly perfect day on the island of Genovesa, sometimes called “Bird” or “Hitchcock” Island due to the innumerable avian species that call this place home. We saw a lot of different kinds of both land and seabirds, but the one that got our attention most was a spectacular white bird with long tail. We were first alerted to their presence by a loud, drawn out cackling sound over our heads, as they came back to their nest. Looking up, we were dazzled by the white plumage of the bird, with its brilliant red bill and marked black mask. The red-billed tropic bird is the only one of three tropic bird species that is found in the Galapagos.
The red-billed tropic bird (Phaethon aethereus) is colonial and makes its nest on overhanging ledges or in the crevices of steep slopes and cliffs.
It seems that suitable nesting sites may be a limiting factor in the distribution and abundance of this species. Nesting sites are jealously guarded and disputes may result in serious fights.
Tropicbirds feed chiefly on squid and fish. They catch their food by steep plunge diving and normally feed well away from land.
