Peru’s Paracas Peninsula and the Ballestas Islands are lands of superlatives and contrasts. Located approximately 155 miles south of Lima, Paracas Peninsula is Peru’s most important marine wildlife sanctuary. For the nature lover or those who enjoy breathtaking open views of the ocean with a backdrop of large flocks of sea birds and marine mammals, this is a place to visit. But, what makes Paracas Peninsula so appealing?
Paracas Peninsula National Reserve
Paracas Peninsula National Reserve (See Map), which includes the Ballestas Islands, was legally recognized in 1975. One contrasting aspect of this National Reserve is being the meeting point between the Atacama Desert, one of the worlds driest and most inhospitable places on earth and the world’s richest marine ecosystem.
The Ballestas Islands
And when I talk about superlatives, I am referring to the massive flocks or Humboldt seabirds, heards or sealions, and a number of endemic species closely associated to the Humboldt Ocean Current. Indeed, the Ballestas Islands are known by many as the Peruvian Galapagos. And there is no doubt about that. I’d say one can see larger concentrations of birds and mammals on the Ballestas Islands than on the Galapagos Islands. As in the Galapagos Islands, Paracas Peninsula also has it is share of fascinating endemic and highly localized birds and mammals associated to the Humboldt Ocean Current.
and why does wildlife concentrate here? It is largely due to the presence of the Humboldt Current , also known as the Peru Current considered the most productive marine ecosystem in the world, as well as the largest upwelling system. Approximately 18-20% of the world’s fish catch comes from the Humboldt Current. Upwelling is an oceanographic phenomenon that involves wind-driven motion of dense, cooler, and usually nutrient-rich water towards the ocean surface, replacing the warmer, usually nutrient-depleted surface water. The increased availability in upwelling regions results in high levels of primary productivity and thus fishproduction.
The peninsula effect appears to contribute to the large concentration of wildlife. The upwelling happens throughout the Humboldt Current, but has difference outcomes depending on presence and availability of massive school of sardines, anchovies and jack mackerel. Paracas Peninsula’s strategic location allows the birds to either fly west toward greater depth in the ocean or east towards shallow depths using the the peninsula and adjacent islands as information centers.
One of the Humboldt’s current most fascinating spectacles is watching mixed species flocks of sea birds on a feeding frenzy fishing for schools of fish. Peruvian, Blue-footed Boobies, Peruvian Pelicans, and Peruvian and South American Terns perform spectacular dives for fish of different sizes. Guanay Cormorants, dive-chase the fish while Inca Terns, Kelp and Band-tailed Gulls benefit from the left overs and what can be taking from other fishing birds.
The ultimate professional divers though are the Peruvian Diving Petrel and Humboldt Penguin. Peruvian Diving Petrel can fly and are known to track down schools of fish and feed on them for days as the school moves about. Penguins are flightless birds and will forage within reasonable distances from the their roosting sites. Penguins generally leave the caves they spend the night in and return to the them at dusk.
Humboldt Current
Other notable Humboldt Current specialties include the handsome Red-legged Cormorant , the Peruvian Seaside Cinclodes and Gray Gulls. These species are largely restricted to rocky outcrops and sandy beaches. The Red-legged Cormorant dives for fish near the rocky outcrops that they use for perching and nesting. The Cinclodes forages on rocks as the surf retrieves and the Gray Gulls, one of the most iconic coastal bird in Peru, is largely restricted to sandy shores, although can also perform some sea foraging.
Whether during breeding and non-breeding time, it is the constant coming and going, noisy beak fights over perching ledges, and the constant presence of birds everywhere one sees what makes Paracas Peninsula a prime wildlife experience at a short distance from Lima. In later posts I will cover the mammals and ancient cultures of Paracas Peninsula and the Ballestas Islands.
See Photo Gallery (click photo below)
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| Peru’s Paracas Peninsula and the Humboldt Seabirds |
List of common Humboldt Seabirds and associated bird found on rocky and sandy shores in the Paracas Peninsula National Reserve.
Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti)
Peruvian diving-petrel (Pelecanoides garnotii)
Peruvian pelican (Pelecanus thagus)
Peruvian booby (Sula variegata)
Blue-footed Booby (Sula nebouxii)
Neotropic cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus)
Red-legged cormorant (Phalacrocorax gaimardi)
Guanay cormorant (Phalacrocorax bougainvillii)
American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)
Blackish Oystercatcher (Haematopus ater)
Kelp gull (Larus dominicanus)
Belcher’s Gull (Larus belcheri)
Grey gull (Larus modestus)
Peruvian Tern (Sternula lorata)
South American Tern (Sterna hirundinacea)
Inca tern (Larosterna inca)
Surf Cinclodes (Cinclodes taczanowskii)