Galapagos Islands sea birds
The cool, oxygen-rich waters surrounding the Galapagos support an abundant marine flora and fauna which, in turns, support a variety of sea birds. The most obvious and frequently seen sea birds are members of the order Pelecaniformes. In the Galapagos, these include two species of frigate bird, three species of booby, the brown pelican, the red-billed tropicbird and the flightless cormorant
No marine region would be complete without sea gulls (order Charadriiformes) and the Galapagos are no exception. However, there are only two species of gulls, the swallow-tail gull and the lava gull, and both are endemic to the archipelago. Another bird belonging to this order that is commonly seen is the brown noddy tern.
A third order of sea birds found in the Galapagos is the Procellariiformes. This order includes the ubiquitous, but difficult to observe, Audubon shearwater and a variety of storm petrels. It also includes the magnificent waved albatross, which, with its 7-8 foot wingspan is the largest bird in the Galapagos.
The final major order of sea bird represented in the Galapagos, remarkably, is the Sphenisciphromes, the penguins! The sole penguin found on the equator is the endemic Galapagos penguin.
and non-descript of the Galapagos Booby. Their natural habitat extends from Peru to Mexico . Young blue-foots look quite similar to adults yet it takes 2 to 3 years to reach their adult plumage of a pale streaked head, dark mantle with white patches on the nape and rump, white bellies and a dark tail. Blue-Footed Boobies nest in colonies. In large colonies there is almost continuous breeding with pairs nesting every 7 to 9 months. They can be seen breeding on most islands north of the equator in the Galapagos.
Red-Foots are all brown with the exception of red legs and feet and a light blue bill with a red base. A small percent of the red-foots are mistaken for masked boobies with white heads, bodies and wings, red feet and legs, and blue beaks.
(76 to 89 cm) in length with a wingspan of 5 to 6 ft (1.5 to 1.8 m). Adult birds are easily identified with their beautiful white head, body and wing coverts, dark tails, masks, and patches on their backs. Young masked boobies with their gray legs and feet their dark head and bellies can be mistaken for the brown booby.
virtually not waterproof! What a contradiction! They are large (almost 6 feet/1.8 m. wingspan), lightweight and have a long, hooked beak to catch fish without getting wet. Frigates have an easier way to get food: stealing from other birds, specially red-footed boobies (this is, naturally, a survival strategy). And when it is time to raise a family, they settle in others' nests, or abscond with some sticks.
in Galapagos measured 1.10 m long and had a wingspan of 2.45 m. The male is entirely black with a purplish sheen on its back and a red goular pouch, which is only visible during the breeding season. The female has white breast and shoulders, but is otherwise completely black. 
the islands, skimming over the water, plunge-diving, and resting in mangrove trees. In addition to Galapagos, the brown pelican is found along the western coasts of northen South America, Central America, and North America, and throughout the Caribbean. The Galapagos population of brown pelican is considered to be an endemic subspecies.
belong to the family Phaethontidae which contains one genus, Phaethon, and three species. They derive their other common name, the "bosun bird", from their characteristic "t'weee-eee" call which is reminiscent of a boatswain's whistle. The Galapagos Islands species, the red-billed tropicbird (P. aethereus) is also found in the tropical latitudes of the eastern Pacific, the Caribbean, and in the Indian Ocean . In Galapagos it is not uncommon to see them soaring along the cliffs where they make their nests, on islands such as South Plaza , Espanola, Genovesa, and N. Seymour . Tropicbirds are striking birds, with a vivid, white body, black wing edges and eye stripe, red bill, and two long, streaming tail feathers. Like some of the other pelecaniformes, tropicbirds are plunge-divers, feeding on squid and fish, well out at sea. After a dive, they bob back up to the surface, sitting momentarily, with their two tail feathers cocked in an upright position. 
environment that was free of predators.The birds had no need to fly and eventually became flightless. 
into a snake-like figure. The male then leads the female ashore, turning back towards the female, and assuming the snake-neck posture. The pair builds a nest composed of sea weed, sea urchins, starfish, and dead fish, and the male continually brings "gifts" to the female, which she incorporates into the nest. The female lays three eggs, though usually only one chick survives. Both male and female share in incubation.
It is found around the East Pacific. With a wingspan of 11 feet (3.5 m.) an albatross can follow wind currents for days. Their only home in Galapagos is Española (Hood) Island where spectacular courtship-displays amaze any visitor. 
The dance involves bill-fencing, in which the partners bend, face each other, and rapidly slap their bills back and forth. In another step each faces the other in an upright posture, sometimes poising with bill wide open. The bills are then shut with a loud clap. Sometimes the birds will clatter their bills rapidly. The dance also involves bowing, and parading around one another with the head swaying side to side in an exagerated sway, accompanied by a nasal "anh-a-annhh" sound. These steps are interspersed frequently with bouts of bill fencing. The dance is longer and more involved in new pairs, or in pairs that failed to breed in the previous season. For visitors lucky enough to see it,the courtship dance of the waved albatross is a highlight of any Galapagos Islands cruise trip. 
St. Peter, because their habit of not quite landing in the water, but dipping their feet in and fluttering over the surface while they feed on plankton, makes them seem as though they are walking on water. World-wide, there are eight genera of storm petrels, containing about 20 species. These eight genera are divided into two main groups, one inhabiting the northern hemisphere, and the other the southern, with some overlap in the tropics. In the Galapagos, there are three resident species:
movements, and generally great distances from the observer. The white-vented storm petrel, are the most commonly sighted inshore species. It is part of the southern grouping of genera and, typical to that group, it has very long legs which project behind the tail. In Galapagos, it is the only storm petrel with this feature. All three Galapagos storm petrels have a white patch on their rump. 
sea bird commonly seen from the yachts. Typically, they skim close to the water, with intermittent periods of flapping and gliding. They always seem to be on the move, either individually or in flocks, and it is not often easy to get a good sighting, let alone a good photograph.
Galapagos Islands, the Lava Gull's head and wings are almost black. The rest of the body is dark grey though paler on the belly. They have white upper and lower eyebrows, which vary between individuals, and red eyelids. The legs and bill are black while the inside of the mouth or gape is scarlet. This is quite often seen as they frequently emit long raucous gull-like calls with their bills wide open. The immature bird is largely brown.
of Isabela, Fernandina, Santiago, and Bartolome, islands cooled off by both the Cromwell and Humboldt currents. The Humboldt Current is the one that brought them all the way up to these tropical latitudes. Look carefully for crevices in the rocky lava shorelines for penguins nesting inside them. Small lava tubes are favorite places too. 
They only mate and breed when there is plenty of food. Often only one chick is raised. Both parents tend the eggs for 38 to 40 days. Chicks are cared for by both male and female. The chick is guarded for about 30 days after hatching. The chicks molts, get their adult feathers, and are on their own in about 60 to 65 days.
Islands and the list is very long, many are endemic and have adapted uniquely to the Island lifestyle. There are also migrant birds that pass by every year and spend some time at the Islands, eventually some have evolved and become unique.
Almost extinct in Hawaii this Petrel is coming back well in the Galapagos Islands. It is much similar to an Audobon shearwater, but the petrel is much larger. It has a white belly.
