Galapagos 3-1-14 Espanola Punta Suarez Waved Albatross [14 of 24]
The highlight of Espanola is the colony of waved albatrosses, magnificent birds of enormous wing span, which breed exclusively on Espanola. It has brown upper parts and wings with gray, waved bars (hence its name), a white neck, a cream-colored nape, and a handsome yellow beak. Some 12,000 monogamous pairs nest on Espanola each year. With a wingspan of over 2m and a weight of 3-4kg, the waved albatross is the largest Galapagos bird. On land they walk with a waddle and appear to be very clumsy, but in the air, they are among the most graceful of sea birds. They are found on only one island, Espanola.