We went exploring on Prince Philip’s Steps on the island of Genovesa in the Galapagos Islands and found gorgeous birdlife all around us, including nests and adorable baby birds. We’re sharing our best photos from a vacation visit to Prince Philip’s Steps in the Galapagos Islands, a nursery for rare sea birds like Red-Footed Boobies, Nazca Boobies and Galapagos owls and home to fur seals and sea lions.
what’s it like on Prince Philip’s Steps in the Galapagos Islands?
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photos of Prince Philip’s Steps, home to rare birds like Red-Footed Boobies, Nazca boobies and Galapagos owls. Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photos of the abundant birdlife on Prince Philip’s Steps in the Galapagos Islands
Red-Footed Boobies
Of all the wildlife, birds, reptiles and fish we encountered on a recent visit to the Galapagos Islands, we were most enchanted by the birdlife. Our favorite for most of the trip was Blue-Footed Boobies, who are beautiful, unusual, entertaining and amiable creatures (at least from what we can tell).
Then, midway through our Galapagos Islands trip, we took a hike on Prince Philip’s Steps and fell in love with the cousins of our previous favorites: the Red-Footed Boobies.
Have a look at our photos, and you’ll see why we couldn’t take our eyes off of the Red-Footed Boobies, many of whom were sitting in nests and waiting for their eggs to hatch.
Photos of Prince Philip’s Steps, home to rare birds like Red-Footed Boobies, Nazca boobies and Galapagos owls. Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photos of Prince Philip’s Steps in the Galapagos, home to birds like Red-Footed Boobies, Nazca boobies and Galapagos owls. Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
A baby Red-Footed Boobie bird on Prince Philip’s Steps in the Galapagos Islands. Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photos of Prince Philip’s Steps in the Galapagos, home to birds like Red-Footed Boobies, Nazca boobies and Galapagos owls. Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Nazca boobies
Living alongside the Red-Footed Boobies are their better-known cousins, the Nazca boobies. You’ve surely seen a photo of one of them: their expressive faces and interactions with each other tend to make for excellent memes, if nothing else.
Here we saw them up close, and shared some laughs and cooed over their adorable new babies and toddlers.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photos of Prince Philip’s Steps in the Galapagos, home to birds like Red-Footed Boobies, Nazca boobies and Galapagos owls. Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photos of rare birds like Red-Footed Boobies, Nazca boobies and Galapagos owls. Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photos of rare birds like Red-Footed Boobies, Nazca boobies and Galapagos owls. Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Frigate Birds
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photos of rare birds like Red-Footed Boobies, Nazca boobies and Galapagos owls. Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photos of rare birds like Red-Footed Boobies, Nazca boobies and Galapagos owls. Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Owls
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photos of rare birds like Red-Footed Boobies, Nazca boobies and Galapagos owls. Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Fur Seals
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Sea Lions
Meanwhile, an intense family drama played out among a family of three sea lions. The alpha male arrives home and does some bellowing and cliffside yoga.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Then he begins mansplaining something to his female partner.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
She claps back as their child looks on.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Then she takes the kid and leaves.
Moments later, the alpha male is sprawled on the family rock, snoring, once again king of his castle. We feel you, girl.
Photo © Dandelion Chandelier.
Just another day on Prince Philip’s Steps . . .
Rare birds and sea lion soap operas in the Galapagos Islands
Photos of Prince Philip’s Steps in the Galapagos Islands, a nursery for rare birds like Red-Footed Boobies, Nazca boobies and Galapagos owls.
