Nesting Flightless Cormorants (Galapagos, Ecuador) Royalty-Free Stock Image

Flightless Cormorants: The flightless cormorant Nannopterum harrisi is endemic to the Galapagos Islands and is the only grounded cormorant species in the world. There are only some 700 to 800 pairs of flightless cormorant in the world.nnGalapagos flightless cormorant nestingnThese are principally found in the northern and western coasts of Isabela and all coasts of Fernandina. Not only does the flightless cormorants swim as a means of hunting, but for romantic purposes as well. In a courtship display reminiscent fan Esther Williams movie, both male and female engage in an aquatic dance. Nesting takes place on the beaches of the western islands, just above the high water line; the nests are made of flotsam and jetsam, held together by seaweed.