Isla Isabela Travel Guide

 MalenaN Says:  In July 2011 the committees AOU and IOC voted to split the Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) found in America from the Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) found in the rest of the world.The Common Gallinule is a medium sized bird, belonging to the Rail-family. It becomes... 

 MalenaN Says:  The Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) is common in Galapagos Islands, but it is a migrant bird that prefers breading in the colder northern climates of North America, Europe and Asia. In the Galapagos it can often be found along sandy beaches, by lagoons and tidal pools.The... 

 MalenaN Says:  The Galapagos Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus wollebaeki) is an endemic subspecies. It is common, and there is a population of about 50 000 Sea Lions in the Galapagos Islands. They can be seen in many places near the shores, on beaches, on the rocks or even in the towns... 

 MalenaN Says:  When Charles Darwin visited Galapagos Islands in 1835 he noticed that the Mockingbirds looked a bit different on different islands, and that is something that influenced his thoughts of evolution. There are four different species of Mockingbirds and they are all endemic. One... 

 MalenaN Says:  On Galapagos Islands you will find an endemic subspecies of the White-cheeked Pintail, also called Galapagos Pintail (Ana bahamensis galapagensis). It is quite common and it can be found both in highland pools and lowland lagoons and mangrove swamps. The White-cheeked... 

 MalenaN Says:  The Galapagos Penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) is endemic to Galapagos Islands and it is also the only penguin that can be found here. They are not very common, but there are only around a thousand couples. After El Niño years the population become smaller though as food... 

 MalenaN Says:  The brown Pelican can be found in many areas along the American Pacific and Atlantic coasts, but on Galapagos Islands you will find the endemic subspecies Pelecanus occidentalis urinator. They can be found by the coast on most islands.The Brown Pelicans are large birds with... 

 MalenaN Says:  Lava Lizards are endemic to the Galapagos Islands and there are seven different species. The Galapagos Lava Lizard (Microlophus Albemarlensis) can be seen on several islands, and then there are the Española Lava Lizard, Floreana Lava Lizard, Marchena Lava Lizard, Pinta Lava... 

 MalenaN Says:  I booked the Bay Tour at Hostal La Jungla the evening before going on the tour and it was $25 (July 2011). At 9 o’clock in the morning I was picked up at the hostel and in Puerto Villamil we picked up four other tourists. At the harbour we were met by a guide and went aboard... 

 MalenaN Says:  The beautiful Sally Lightfoot crabs (Grapsus grapsus) can be seen all over the shores of the Galapagos Islands. With its bright orange colour it stands out from the black lava rocks where you often see them. The young ones are dark in colour though, and this make them well... 

 MalenaN Says:  In the morning of my last day on Isla Isabela I took a walk along the road that runs parallel to the sea west of Puerto Villamil. I came to an information board about Comlejo de Humedales y Muro de Las Lagrimas and saw that it was another 5km to Muro de Las Lagrimas. It was... 

 MalenaN Says:  Volcán Sierra Negra on Isla Isabela is situated 27km northwest of Puerto Villamil. The volcano is 1490 metres high and has got the second largest volcano crater in the world, the caldera is 10km in diameter. Volcán Sierra Negra is an active volcano and it had its latest... 

 MalenaN Says:  There is a population of about 400 - 500 flamingos on the Galapagos Islands. They can mainly be seen on Floreana (Punta Cormorant), Isla Isabela (Villamil), Isla Santa Cruz (Las Bachas Beach), Santiago and Isla Rábida.When I visited Floreana on the cruise with Cachalote... 

 MalenaN Says:  The Black-neck Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) is a graceful wader which can be seen in shallow pools of saline water or freshwater. It can be found on several of the Galapagos islands, in the lowlands near the coasts. The Black-necked stilt is also found in many other parts of... 

 MalenaN Says:  If you see a small bright yellow bird on the Galápagos Islands it will be a Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia). The Yellow Warbler can be found all over Galápagos Islands and in all habitats.The male has a bright yellow breast with reddish streaks, and the upper part is... 

 MalenaN Says:  The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) can be seen on most big islands of the Galapagos (you can also see them in the West Indies and North- and Central America). The Great Blue Heron is a wader and when you see one it will probably be near shallow water, where they are often... 

 MalenaN Says:  With their bright red colour against the intense green vegetation the Vermilion Flycatchers are very beautiful. It is the male who has got this bright red colour. There is a black mask over the eyes, and also the back and tail are black. The birds are rather small with a... 

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