摘要：Besides the Galapagos, in Ecuador there are two islands along the conti- nental coast where seabirds reproduce in large numbers. At Isla La Plata (area: 14 km 2 ; 01º 16’ S, 81º 03’ W), about 30 km from the coast, breed six seabirds, including the Galapagos Waved Alba- tross (Phoebastria irrorata), Magnifi- cent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens), Nazca Booby (Sula granti), Blue-footed Booby (S. nebouxii), Red-footed Booby (S. sula), and Red-billed Tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus). During the last two decades, the size of some of these seabird colonies has been assessed by ornithologists during short and sporadic visits, using different field methods and criteria. Isla El Muerto is 43 km from the coast (area: 5 ha; 3º 10’ 22’’ S, 80º 26’ 10” W); although frequently visited by fishermen from Ecuador and Peru, it remained inaccessible to local ornitholo- gists. Records on seabirds of this island by Murphy (1936), who visited the island in early 1925, were the only accounts until I visited island in 1997 and 1998. Isla El Muerto, now declared a wildlife refuge, has been recognized as the most important seabird breeding ground of mainland Ecuador..
