Machalilla National Park
🇪🇨 Ecuador
🐦 Blue-footed Boobies on Isla de la PlataMachalilla National Park stretches along the rugged Pacific coast of Ecuador, protecting a rare tropical dry forest where cactus-studded ridges drop directly into the ocean. This coastal sanctuary stands apart from typical rainforest reserves through its arid woodlands, dry brush, and secluded sandy bays. Trails wind through gnawed tree trunks and drought-resistant brush, leading hikers past hidden coves and panoramic ocean viewpoints.
-1.566° S 80.693° W
Wildlife
⭐ Iconic Species
★ 
Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
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Blue-footed Booby
Sula nebouxii
★ 
Green Sea Turtle
Chelonia mydas
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Magnificent Frigatebird
Fregata magnificens
📊 Most Spotted
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
Southern House Wren
Troglodytes musculus
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Brown Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis
Knobbed Pacific Iguana
Microlophus occipitalis
Scrub Blackbird
Dives warczewiczi
Blue-gray Tanager
Thraupis episcopus
Tropical Kingbird
Tyrannus melancholicus
Tropical Gnatcatcher
Polioptila plumbea
Saffron Finch
Sicalis flaveola
Emerald Hummingbird
Amazilis amazilia
Tumbes Round Ray
Urobatis tumbesensis
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Southern Sea Lion
Otaria byronia
Mantled Howler Monkey
Alouatta palliata
Guayaquil Squirrel
Sciurus stramineus
Northern Ghost Bat
Diclidurus albus
Pantropical Spotted Dolphin
Stenella attenuata
Tayra
Eira barbara
Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
Crab-eating Raccoon
Procyon cancrivorus
Northern Tamandua
Tamandua mexicana
Common Opossum
Didelphis marsupialis
Ocelot
Leopardus pardalis
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
Southern House Wren
Troglodytes musculus
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Brown Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis
Scrub Blackbird
Dives warczewiczi
Blue-gray Tanager
Thraupis episcopus
Tropical Kingbird
Tyrannus melancholicus
Tropical Gnatcatcher
Polioptila plumbea
Saffron Finch
Sicalis flaveola
Emerald Hummingbird
Amazilis amazilia
Eared Dove
Zenaida auriculata
Gray-breasted Martin
Progne chalybea
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Knobbed Pacific Iguana
Microlophus occipitalis
Bocourt's Ameiva
Medopheos edracanthus
Green Iguana
Iguana iguana
Shieldhead Gecko
Gonatodes caudiscutatus
Common House Gecko
Hemidactylus frenatus
Seven-lined Ameiva
Holcosus septemlineatus
Peters' Leaf-toed Gecko
Phyllodactylus reissii
Trans-Andean Vine Snake
Oxybelis transandinus
Mastigodryas reticulatus
Mastigodryas reticulatus
West Ecuadorian Whorl-tailed Iguana
Stenocercus iridescens
Peru Desert Tegu
Dicrodon guttulatum
Werner's Bush Anole
Polychrus femoralis
📊 Most Spotted
Machalilla Poison Frog
Epipedobates machalilla
Cachabi Robber Frog
Pristimantis achatinus
Rosenberg's Gladiator Frog
Boana rosenbergi
Pacific Horned Frog
Ceratophrys stolzmanni
Jordan's Casque-headed Tree Frog
Trachycephalus jordani
Guayaquil Dwarf Frog
Engystomops pustulatus
Montubio Bully Foam Frog
Engystomops montubio
Chocoan milky frog
Trachycephalus quadrangulum
Masked Tree Frog
Smilisca phaeota
Chimbo Rocket Frog
Hyloxalus infraguttatus
Pimocha White-lipped Frog
Leptodactylus labrosus
📊 Most Spotted
Tumbes Round Ray
Urobatis tumbesensis
Longtail Stingray
Hypanus longus
Gorgona Guitarfish
Pseudobatos prahli
equatorial skate
Raja equatorialis
Whale Shark
Rhincodon typus
Southern Banded Guitarfish
Zapteryx xyster
Pacific Eagle Ray
Aetobatus laticeps
thorny stingray
Urotrygon rogersi
Bigeye Thresher Shark
Alopias superciliosus
Humpback Smooth-hound
Mustelus whitneyi
Oceanic Manta Ray
Mobula birostris
fox shark
Alopias pelagicus
Recent sightings in Machalilla National Park
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
1Humpback Whale Breeding Season
Humpback whales migrate from Antarctica to breed and calve in the park's warm coastal waters
2Giant Manta Ray Aggregation
Hundreds of oceanic manta rays gather around Isla de la Plata drawn by the nutrient-rich Humboldt current — one of the world's largest known giant manta aggregations, best in .
3Seabird Nesting on Isla de la Plata
Blue-footed boobies court and nest along the island trails , alongside Nazca booby and frigatebird colonies — Isla de la Plata is one of mainland Ecuador's only nesting sites for these seabirds.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Humpback Whale Breeding Season
- 2Giant Manta Ray Aggregation
- 3Seabird Nesting on Isla de la Plata
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Machalilla National Park?
The most likely sightings are Magnificent Frigatebird (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Black Vulture (seen by about 60% of wildlife watchers), Southern House Wren (seen by about 60% of wildlife watchers), Turkey Vulture (seen by about 60% of wildlife watchers), Brown Pelican (seen by about 60% of wildlife watchers) — among 854 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit Machalilla National Park for wildlife?
October has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.
Can you see Humpback Whale in Machalilla National Park?
Yes — about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Humpback Whale sighting in Machalilla National Park, based on 88 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Blue-footed Booby in Machalilla National Park?
Yes — about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Blue-footed Booby sighting in Machalilla National Park, based on 819 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Green Sea Turtle in Machalilla National Park?
Yes — about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Green Sea Turtle sighting in Machalilla National Park, based on 49 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Magnificent Frigatebird in Machalilla National Park?
Yes — about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Magnificent Frigatebird sighting in Machalilla National Park, based on 1,439 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
ExcellentHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
Very goodHow likely to see animals?
Experience
GoodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
