The island of Genovesa has a special kind of atmosphere—colonies of Nazca boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and the very colorful red-footed boobies, together with the very contrasting landscape, make it a very interesting site to explore. Located up in the northernmost part of the archipelago, quite distant from any of the central islands, the isolation of this place has been key for sea birds, and they make up most of this island’s wildlife population. The early morning light gave us the opportunity to see the walls of the crater that collapsed a few million years ago.
Prince Philip’s Steps and its lava plateaus have been conquered by palo santo trees, the nesting territory for boobies. As we headed out for a walk in the open area, we found ourselves surrounded by lava flaws, which are the territory of thousands storm petrels. This morning they covered the sky, looking like one of those clouds of mosquitos that are normally found in jungle areas. As the petrels return to their nests, their main predator, the short-eared owl quietly waited, looking for the perfect time to attack. It was incredible to see how much activity can be found here.
The white coralline beach and the red mangroves of Genovesa are the nesting grounds for red-footed boobies. We were lucky to spot several minor frigatebird males with their red pouches inflated, which gave us a chance to talk about their mating ritual and courting behavior, probably one of the most interesting routines among sea birds. Although most frigates have paired up at this point, some bachelors are still displaying their half-inflated pouches in a half-hearted attempt to attract females that don’t seem to be particularly interested in them.
What a special way to end our expedition around the enchanted archipelago! The images of Genovesa will surely remain our minds and hearts for the rest of our lives.
