Blue-footed Booby
The common names for many species of birds can sometimes be confusing, contradictory, misleading, or a complete mystery. For example, the common name Red-winged Blackbird has always gotten under my skin, because the wing of this bird isn’t red; it is actually black. It is the shoulder that is red, not the wing, so we should rename this bird as the Red-shoulder, Black-winged Blackbird. The Common Loon is another bird with a confusing name. What does the word “loon” mean? Turns out the name is thought to be derived from the Scandinavian word “lom” which refers to someone being clumsy or lame. This describes how this bird clumsily moves on land because its legs and feet are located so far back on its body. No doubt you have heard of a group of birds called swallows. Where does the word “Swallow” come from? No one knows for sure, but perhaps it comes from the Old English word “swealwe” which means to ingest food and could refer to these birds eating while flying. Or it could be related to the Old English word “swell” referring to an erratic flight, which perfectly describes this bird’s flight pattern. I guess its origin of the common name is lost to history. All of this was running through my head on my recent photo tour of the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. One of the most common birds found on this island archipelago is the Blue-footed Booby. Not only is there a Blue-footed Booby, but there is also a Red-footed Booby and a NezcaBooby. Three species of booby live in the Galapagos Islands. So where did the name booby come from? The name comes from the Spanish word “bobo”, which translates to foolish or clownish. The reference to clown-like comes from these birds’ clumsily walking on land. When they walk, they lift their large blue feet high and slowly and deliberately place their foot, one in front of the other. It looks like the large shoes of a clown walking. These birds also have absolutely no fear of humans and walk around with their oversized clown-like blue feet without hesitation. It seems like these birds have a foolish nature, hence their common name. Turns out there are six recognized species of boobies. They all belong to the genus Sula, and three of them are very common in the Galapagos Islands. So, the name Blue-footed seems obvious enough. But you have to ask yourself, why would a bird have blue feet? The blue color of the Blue-footed Booby’s feet comes from blue pigment that is derived from their diet of fish. The pigments act as antioxidants and build up in the birds’ feet, giving them their distinctive blue color. It is believed that the bluer the bird’s feet, the better the diet, and a bird with a better diet is healthier than other birds. So, the blue feet actually indicate an individual’s fitness and ability to reproduce. The bluer the healthier. All of these birds’ kooky looks and foolish behavior are set aside when the boobies are flying and hunting for fish. Their large, strong wings carry them quickly above the ocean’s surface. They spot fish in the water below and dive headfirst into the water at a high rate of speed. They hit the water with such force that they often reach three to five feet into the water, snatching up a fish before bobbing back to the surface. They quickly take flight and repeat this over and over until they have caught enough fish. So, no matter how silly or goofy a bird’s common name may be, there seems to always be a reason for or reference to the bird’s biology. It’s just one more thing I like about the natural world of birds. Until next time… Stan Tekiela is an author, naturalist, and wildlife photographer who travels extensively to study and photograph wildlife. He can be followed on Instagram and Facebook. He can be contacted via his website at naturesmart.com.
Giant Tortoise
I think it would be safe to say that most people are aware of turtles and tortoises. But at the same time, I think there is a lot of confusion surrounding these cool critters. Even those familiar with these reptiles can sometimes have questions about the differences between turtles and tortoises. Recently, while leading a photo tour to the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, I had a chance to show my group the difference between turtles and tortoises. The Galapagos Tortoise (Chelonoidis niger) is a huge reptile species that is one of three species native to South America. The Galapagos Tortoise is the largest living species of all tortoises. We spent 8 days living on a large ship that sailed between many of the Galapagos Islands. One day, we went ashore on Santa Cruz Island in hopes that we might find and photograph the giant tortoises. On our way to the Charles Darwin Research Station, we stopped off at a lovely place that specialized in maintaining the native habitat just for the tortoises. Driving down a red dirt road, we came across our first tortoise. It was slowly walking down the road. It was so large that it took up most of the road, and we were unable to pass by it in our vehicle. We all got out and approached the tortoise. Nothing prepares you for how massive these animals become. Males tend to be larger than females. A large mature male can weigh upwards of 800 pounds and measure six feet long. They stand around three feet tall. On average, males are around 400-600 pounds, while females run around 300-500 pounds. What is even more impressive is, they obtain this size with an herbivorous diet consisting of cacti, grass, green leaves, lichens, and fruits of many tropical trees such as oranges. Their huge size allows them to build up both fat (food) and water to last them six or seven months without eating or drinking. It is thought that these reserves are what allowed them to move from the mainland of South America to these remote islands, which are over 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador in South America. The primary difference between tortoises and turtles are in their habitat and some basic physical parts. Tortoises are primarily land-dwelling animals. They have large, thick legs and stumpy feet, which are perfect for walking on land. Turtles are aquatic and have feet that are thin and flipper-like that helps propel them through the water. Tortoises tend to live much longer than turtles. Tortoises also have high-domed shells. Turtles have flatter, more hydrodynamic-shaped shells. The Galapagos Tortoises often live over 100 years, making them one of the longest living vertebrates on the planet. In captivity, they have lived for over 175 years. The Galapagos Islands are near the equator, which means they don’t have winter in the traditional sense. They have a wet season and a dry season. This allows the tortoises to be active all year long. Plants on the islands stay green all year, providing them with constant food sources. Their mouth is more like a bird’s beak, with sharp edges which allows them to eat the flesh of cacti without any issues. All together, we found and photographed over a dozen mature Galapagos Tortoises, which was a thrill of a lifetime for me. Seeing and getting a chance to capture some images of these creatures was something I won’t forget for a long time. Until next time… Stan Tekiela is an author, naturalist, and wildlife photographer who travels extensively to study and photograph wildlife. He can be followed on Instagram and Facebook. He can be contacted via his website at naturesmart.com.