Lava heron animals birds. Unlike other galapagos species of birds that like to live and nest in colonies the lava heron is one of the few heron species that nest in solitary pairs. Lava herons are amazing hunters feeding on small crabs fish prawns lizards small birds and eggs. Unlike most herons these birds nest in solitary pairs in either the lower branches of mangrove trees or under lava rocks. These birds are endemic to the galapagos islands and feed primarily on small fish and crabs.
Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. On every island we visited during that first galapagos trip we found the birds of the galapagos everywhere we looked. There were swallow tailed gulls on the beach blue footed boobies on the rocks and lava herons along the shore. Lava heron galapagos bird.
These small herons live and nest along the lava rock coastlines saltwater lagoons and mangrove forests. Unlike most herons these birds nest in solitary pairs in either the lower branches of mangrove trees or under lava rocks. The lava heron bird inhabits the intertidal zone and the mangrove areas feeding at the open shoreline by diving into the water. The isles are mainly well known for their wildlife flightless birds giant reptiles and wild plant life which play a major part in the earths ecosystem.
April 2016 learn how and when to remove this template messagethis is a list of animals that live in the galapagos islands. They appear to be common on the galapagos islands but population sizes are currently unknown. Watch on youtube during the mating season the male lava herons beak turns black instead of its normal grey and his feet turn bright orange also in stark contrast to their usual grey color. Apart from crab and fish it also eats insects lizards and eggs.
Lava herons have also been known to eat the flies that gather near cacti. It can grow up to 35cm when standing and weight 240g. This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. There were so many fluffy babies in nests near the ground we were simply astounded by the sight.
Many say that these islands are a bird watchers paradise. This heron is sometimes considered a subspecies of the striated heron or even just a colour morph of it. However it is typically maintained as a separate species. They inhabit intertidal zones or mangrove swamps which is why they prefer to build their nests on low branches or under lava rocks where its safe from predators and protected from the harsh equatorial sun.