We had a wonderful day on Tower Island, located in the northeastern side of the archipelago. Among the amazing number of land and seabirds that inhabit Tower, we had a very unusual encounter: a baby lava heron! The lava heron is a very small, dark and compact heron (length: 35 cm, wingspan 63 cm). It is one of the herons most sighted in Galapagos, and the only endemic one. Lava herons are found in the intertidal zone and among the mangroves on the coasts of all the islands.
This species is a solitary nester, and is extremely territorial; the alarm call is a deep and loud "Keopup!!!" This call, used by adult lava herons, is the easiest way to find out if nest or young bird is close. Adult lava herons have ash-gray underparts and upperparts, very similar in color to lava, which helps the bird camouflage itself against the lava. In contrast, immature lava herons have greenish-brown upper-parts, while the under-parts are cream with heavy dark streaks. The latter coloration makes them almost invisible under rocks or among the lower branches of mangroves, hiding from predatory frigatebirds. What a sighting we had today!
