Birds, Mammals, and Reptiles of the Galápagos Islands; An Identification Guide, 2nd Edition

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

• ISBN13: 9780300115321
• ISBN10: 0300115326
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2006-02-28
• Publisher: Yale University Press

Summary

This simple-to-use, pocket-size volume offers a comprehensive guide to the unique wildlife of the Galapagos, encompassing all the birds, mammals, and reptiles a visitor to these extraordinary islands might encounter. The second edition corrects and amends plates and text, as well as adds six new photos of the whales. Reviews of the first edition: "The essential field companion for Galapagos visitors."The Quarterly Review of Biology "I cannot conceive anyone going to the Galapagos without [this book] in hand." Noble S. Proctor

Author Biography

Andy Swash is a zoologist and ecologist. Robert Still is an ecologist and a widely traveled naturalist.

Table of Contents

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