Flightless
Cormorants: The flightless cormorant (Nannopterum
harrisi) is endemic to the Galapagos Islands and is the only
grounded cormorant species in the world. There are only some 700
to 800 pairs of flightless cormorant in the world. |
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These are
principally found in the northern and western coasts of Isabela
and all coasts of Fernandina. Not only does the flightless cormorants swim
as a means of hunting, but for romantic purposes as well. In a
courtship display reminiscent fan Esther Williams movie, both
male and female engage in an aquatic dance. Nesting takes place
on the beaches of the western islands, just above the high water
line; the nests are made of flotsam and jetsam, held together by
seaweed.
In behavior uncharacteristic of Galapagos sea
birds, flightless cormorants do not mate for life. In fact,
after the eggs are hatched and the chicks partially raised, the
female often takes up with another male, leaving dad to continue
raising the young on his own.
Frigatebirds: The frigate were war ships, commonly used by pirates;
frigatebirds are the pirate ships of the air, a name earned by
reputation and habit. Adult frigatebirds are large, blacks
with long wingspans and deeply forked tails, which
combine to
give them exceptional aerial maneuverability.
Frigatebirds nest in trees and bushes. When
the single egg us hatched the parental responsibilities have
just begun; it takes the juveniles about 6 months to learn to
fly and over year to learn the world-class stunt flying skills
required to survive on its own. |
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