First of all, we want to wish you a happy new year, may all your wishes come true in 2021! The Fragata Team is always here to assist you in any questions or doubts you may have.
Interesting facts about the Nazca Booby species:
Today, we’re going to talk in our blog about an amazing bird species that inhabits the Galapagos Islands: the Nazca Booby. In our Enchanted Islands, there are 3 varieties of boobies: the blue footed, the red footed, and the Nazca, the latter being the largest, and found in the Eastern Pacific area of our Enchanted Islands, but also in the coastal zones of Central America and South America.
The name Booby derives from the Spanish term for clown or fool, and this relates to their awkward movement on land.
Description:
The Nazca Boobies have yellow irises,
orange and pink bill, black facial skin in the shape of a mask, and gray feet.
Furthermore, the females are
larger and weightier than males, and they’ve slight differences regarding the color
of the bill. It is interesting to note that females squawks while male
whistles.
On the other hand, the chicks are white as snow and downy, plumage changing to gray along with bill and feet upon fledging.
Where to see the Nazca Booby species?
The Nazca Boobies can be seen in
different locations in the Enchanted Islands. It’s frequently seen on Española
Island and Genovesa Island, but they’re active throughout the year at Galapagos.
If you want to see their nesting places and breeding behavior, then we
recommend you to visit Española from November to February, and Genovesa from
August to November.
Contact us for a free travel concierge or for assistance for your trip in Galapagos.
Diet of the Nazca Booby:
The Nazca booby that inhabits the
Galapagos Islands feeds on squid and small fishes, such as the South American
pilchard, captured by diving at high speed into the ocean. During the El Niño
events, the number of sardines is low compared to other seasons, so the Nazca booby
feeds on flying cod, cephalopods, and anchovies. Given that females are larger than
males, they’ve the propensity to dive more profoundly and eat larger prays.
According to Galapagos Conservancy, there are 56 native species of birds, 45 are endemic (only found in this place), and 11 are native (indigenous to the Enchanted Islands but also found in other places). In addition to these birds, there are almost 30 migratory species (native and migrant), and 64 species that have been seen once or twice.
Fragata Yacht has designed for
2021 birdwatching itineraries specially designed for bird lovers. Feel free to contact
us if you want to receive more information about the Galapagos’ birds, or if
you have any questions or doubts about this blog.
