Birds, Mammals, and Reptiles of the Galápagos Islands; An Identification Guide

by Andy Swash and Rob Still; With illustrations by Ian Lewington

• ISBN13: 9780300088649
• ISBN10: 0300088647
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2001-01-11
• Publisher: Yale University Press

Summary

This pocket-sized volume is a comprehensive guide to the unique wildlife of the Galapagos, encompassing the birds, mammals, and reptiles a visitor to these extraordinary islands might encounter. 53 color plates.

Table of Contents

Foreword	7	(8)
Acknowledgements	8	(1)
Introduction	9	(1)
The Geography and Climate of Galapagos	10	(2)
The Habitats of Galapagos	12	(5)
The Birds of Galapagos	17	(93)
Introduction	17	(1)
Bird topography	18	(1)
Moult and Plumages	19	(1)
The types of bird	20	(13)
Seabirds	20	(4)
Waterbirds	24	(1)
Shorebirds	25	(2)
Diurnal raptors	27	(1)
Nightbirds	28	(1)
Larger landbirds	29	(1)
Aerial Feeders	29	(1)
Smaller landbirds	30	(3)
The bird plates	33	(77)
Seabirds
Penguin, cormorant and pelican	34	(2)
Albatrosses and giant petrel	36	(2)
Shearwaters and black petrel	38	(2)
Petrels	40	(2)
Storm-petrels (breeding)	42	(2)
Storm-petrels (non-breeding)	44	(2)
Frigatebirds	46	(2)
Boobies	48	(2)
Gulls (breeding) and skuas/jaegers	50	(2)
Gulls (non-breeding)	52	(2)
Terns (breeding) and tropicbird	54	(2)
Terns (non-breeding)	56	(2)
Waterbirds
Ducks, grebe and coot	58	(2)
Rails, crake and gallinules	60	(2)
Herons (large) and flamingo	62	(2)
Egrets	64	(2)
Herons (small) and night-herons	66	(2)
Shorebirds
Oystercatcher, stilt, Surfbird and turnstones	68	(2)
Plovers	70	(2)
Godwits, dowitcher, Whimbrel and Willet	72	(2)
Sandpipers (larger) and yellowlegs	74	(2)
Sandpipers (larger) and tattler	76	(2)
Sandpipers (smaller)	78	(2)
Phalaropes	80	(2)
Dirunal raptors
Hawk, Osprey and Peregrine	82	(2)
Nightbirds
Owls and nighthawk	84	(2)
Larger Landbirds
Doves, pigeon and kingfisher	86	(2)
Cuckoos and anis	88	(2)
Aerial Feeders
Martins, swallows and swift	90	(2)
Smaller Landbirds
Tyrant Flycatchers	92	(2)
Warblers, vireo and Bananaquit	94	(2)
Bobolink, bunting, grosbeak, tanager and waxwing	96	(2)
Mockingbirds	98	(2)
Identification of Darwing's Finches	100	(2)
Ground finches	102	(2)
Cactus finches	104	(2)
Vegetarian and tree finches	106	(2)
Mangrove, Warbler and Woodpecker Finches	108	(2)
The Reptiles of Galapagos	110	(16)
Introduction	110	(1)
The types of reptile
Tortoises	110	(1)
Turtles	111	(1)
Iguanas	111	(1)
Lava Lizards	111	(1)
Geckos	112	(1)
Snakes	112	(1)
Sea snakes	112	(1)
The reptile plates	113	(13)
Tortoises	114	(2)
Turtles	116	(2)
Iguanas	118	(2)
Lava lizards	120	(2)
Geckos	122	(2)
Snakes and sea snake	124	(2)
The Mammals of Galapagos	126	(24)
Introduction	126	(1)
The types of mammal
Sea lions	126	(1)
Rodents	126	(1)
Bats	127	(1)
Whales and dolphins (cetaceans)	127	(1)
How to search for and identify cetaceans	127	(1)
Cetacean topography	127	(1)
The groups of cetacean	127	(4)
The mammal plates	131	(19)
Sea lions	132	(2)
Rice rats	134	(2)
Rodents and bats	136	(2)
Rorquals I (Minke, Sei, Bryde's and Fin Whales)	138	(2)
Rorquals II (Blue and Humpback, Whales) and Sperm Whale	140	(2)
Small sperm whales and beakes whales	142	(2)
Blackfish (Killer, Pilot and Melon-headed Whales)	144	(2)
Dolphins I	146	(2)
Dolphins II	148	(2)
Checklist of Regularly Occurring Species	150	(5)
Glossary	155	(1)
Further Reading, Electronic Media and Contact Addresses	156	(1)
Photographic and Art Credits	157	(8)
Index of English and Scientific Names	165