Tuesday, February 22, 2011

"F" For Flightless Feathered Friends on Fernandina


                                                                                                                                                                 Photo by Richard Schear
Flightless cormorants (Phalacrocorax harrisi), also known as Galapagos cormorants, are unique because they are the only cormorants to have lost the ability to fly. This bird is the largest cormorant on the planet today, also one of the world's rarest birds, and the subject of an active conservation program.

After diving for food (fish, eels and small octopi) in the shallow water no more than 100 meters off the shores of only two islands, Isabela and Fernandina, the cormorants dry their short wings in the sun (as shown in the picture above) because their feathers are not waterproof.

In the Wikipedia photo to the right, we can see the bird's upper coloring is blackish, its lower parts brown, and its eye turquoise.
I wish my eyes were turquoise.

Posted for the letter F in ABC Wednesday,
an alphabetic meme hosted weekly by Mrs. Nesbitt's
team of fantastic photographers.


To see how other people around the world used the letter F,
please click
HERE!
at

38 comments:

  1. Leslie:February 22, 2011 at 1:44 PM

    Fascinating feathered friends here! lol It's interesting how the birds dive for food but then have to come back up to dry off. Have a fun-filled week, Kay!

    Leslie
    ABCW Team

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  2. UnknownFebruary 22, 2011 at 1:45 PM

    Very cool :-)

    Is it weird that I noticed the large number of crabs in the foreground of the big pic? It's so interesting what draws the eye ...

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  3. FilipBlogFebruary 22, 2011 at 2:07 PM

    Always special, these birds with their wings open.

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  4. EG CameraGirlFebruary 22, 2011 at 2:14 PM

    How interesting they cannot fly! Fascinating, Kaye!

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  5. Roger Owen GreenFebruary 22, 2011 at 2:39 PM

    fine feathered fotos.
    ROG, ABC Wednesday team

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  6. Sylvia KFebruary 22, 2011 at 2:55 PM

    What an interesting bird and post for the F Day! You have been to so many interesting places and I'm so glad that you share them with us!! Hope your week is going well, Kay!

    Sylvia
    ABC Team

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  7. photowannabeFebruary 22, 2011 at 4:49 PM

    Fancy Fishing Feathered Friends.
    (:0)

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  8. UnknownFebruary 22, 2011 at 6:21 PM

    I didn't know they can't fly! I guess the birds I thought were cormorants can't be since I always notice them sitting along wires, high up.

    I like how they make a big display of flying in your photos!

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  9. Kim, USAFebruary 22, 2011 at 6:41 PM

    Very interesting thanks for sharing!
    ABC Wednesday-F

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  10. CarverFebruary 22, 2011 at 7:22 PM

    Fantastic shots and post for the letter F. I haven't ever seen the flightless cormorants although there are flighty ones at the lake near me.

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  11. Gigi AnnFebruary 22, 2011 at 8:05 PM

    I always like learning things about nature. This is an interesting F Post today.

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  12. Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis HallFebruary 22, 2011 at 8:39 PM

    what a fun F word play.
    love the flow.

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  13. magiceyeFebruary 22, 2011 at 8:47 PM

    beautiful take on the theme!

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  14. HildredFebruary 22, 2011 at 9:22 PM

    Love that first photo!

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  15. Powell River BooksFebruary 22, 2011 at 11:20 PM

    I've always wanted to visit the Galapagos Islands but probably won't get the chance. I've traveled so many places through your posts. - Margy

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  16. dianasfaria.comFebruary 22, 2011 at 11:56 PM

    Interesting F post Miss Kay. & I love your idea of having turquoise eyes.

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  17. KayFebruary 23, 2011 at 1:00 AM

    This is so interesting, Kay. I've never heard of flightless cormorants. It's amazing that it's got regular looking feathers but can't fly.

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  18. Cezar and LéiaFebruary 23, 2011 at 1:05 AM

    This critter is adorable, I love your pictures!
    hugs
    Léia

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  19. Gemma Wiseman aka Pamela AdamsFebruary 23, 2011 at 1:07 AM

    Intriguing cormorants! I didn't know this! We have large and small cormorants round the peninsula and they are a familiar sight standing on rocks or boats drying their wings!

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  20. AndyFebruary 23, 2011 at 1:51 AM

    Thank you. I learned something on my visit to your blog. In Ontario when the warm weather arrives so do the cormorants. I don't ever remember seeing them when I was kid.

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  21. anthonynorthFebruary 23, 2011 at 2:04 AM

    Excellent, as always.

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  22. MaraFebruary 23, 2011 at 3:15 AM

    I love those birds! I was once told by a conservationist that 'normal' cormorants shouldn't be able to fly either: their bones are too heavy really. Another fluke of nature!

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  23. UnknownFebruary 23, 2011 at 4:28 AM

    That is absolutely fascinating. I will have to show this to Kaishon when he wakes up. I love the education I get every Wednesday. thank you Miss K! Love, Becky

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  24. jabblogFebruary 23, 2011 at 7:02 AM

    I wonder why they evolved to flightlessness (is there such a word?) Presumably they have few natural predators so have no need to fly.

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  25. Debbie TaillieuFebruary 23, 2011 at 8:20 AM

    I've been to Fernadina!! Visited there while on a home exchange in Ponte Vedra Beach. I even wrote a story! HA!
    Such a great shot, I love it!
    Getting all your plans sorted out for the big trip! I have some more info for you regarding trains, per Stijn.
    Have a fabulous day!
    Debbie

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  26. Debbie TaillieuFebruary 23, 2011 at 8:23 AM

    Well, not that Fernandina....ooops!

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  27. NankaFebruary 23, 2011 at 8:55 AM

    The first foto was fascinating and set me thinking...did the makers of the film Titanic get their idea from here for the now famous pose?? :D

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  28. N. R. WilliamsFebruary 23, 2011 at 11:37 AM

    Interesting to learn that they cannot fly.
    Nancy
    N. R. Williams, The Treasures of Carmelidrium

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  29. UnknownFebruary 23, 2011 at 1:17 PM

    Kay your feathered friends are so much more fantastic than mine, but mine can fly!
    HelenMac, ABC Wednesday Team :)

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  30. Martha ZFebruary 23, 2011 at 1:34 PM

    Those are small wings compared to the cormorants I see here. I can see how Darwin came to believe in natural selection when he saw the unusual animals of the Galapagos.

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  31. Tiger85February 23, 2011 at 3:33 PM

    This quite interesting and thanks for your comment.

    http://tigeronmybookshelf.blogspot.com/

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  32. Tumblewords:February 23, 2011 at 5:13 PM

    Amazing information. Flapping feathered wings doesn't always lead to fantastic flight. :)

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  33. marinaFebruary 23, 2011 at 7:57 PM

    Great post! love the photo of the cormorants drying their feathers.
    I too would love to have turquoise eyes :-)

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  34. Sallie (FullTime-Life)February 23, 2011 at 8:15 PM

    I don't always read the alphabet meme because I can't afford (time) to get hooked on another one ;>) --but I'm very glad I read this one of yours -- I love the little snippets of natural history you teach so painlessly.

    I have seen just regular plain old everyday US cormorants sit with their wings like that, maybe they aren't waterproof either. Must look that up.

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  35. CildemerFebruary 24, 2011 at 5:28 AM

    An original and informative post for F day!
    Didn't know about those birds!
    He he he! They have got nice turquoise eyes but they look ridiculous with such small wings;o)

    ***
    Hope you are having a happy week, Kay****

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  36. cieldequimperFebruary 24, 2011 at 11:41 AM

    Oooh fantastic. And I love those red crabs!

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  37. FranciscaFebruary 24, 2011 at 12:32 PM

    Really can't fly? How fascinating! These cormorants look different from the ones I see in China. Great F post, Kay!

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  38. Hooked on MemesFebruary 24, 2011 at 12:58 PM

    Fascinating!

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