Machalilla National Park

🇪🇨 Ecuador

🐋 Blue-footed Boobies on Isla de la Plata

🌍 #64 Global · 4.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #11 in South America #27 in Tropical Forest

Pacific Coast, Ecuador 854 spp. recorded

Machalilla 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

50–60% · Likely

Blue-footed Booby

Sula nebouxii

30–40% · Possible

Green Turtle

Chelonia mydas

40–50% · Likely

Magnificent Frigatebird

Fregata magnificens

70–80% · Very likely

📊 Most Spotted

Black Vulture

Coragyps atratus

60–70% · Likely

Southern House Wren

Troglodytes musculus

60–70% · Likely

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

60–70% · Likely

Brown Pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis

60–70% · Likely

Knobbed Pacific Iguana

Microlophus occipitalis

60–70% · Likely

Scrub Blackbird

Dives warczewiczi

60–70% · Likely

Blue-gray Tanager

Thraupis episcopus

50–60% · Likely

Tropical Kingbird

Tyrannus melancholicus

50–60% · Likely

Tropical Gnatcatcher

Polioptila plumbea

50–60% · Likely

Saffron Finch

Sicalis flaveola

50–60% · Likely

Emerald Hummingbird

Amazilis amazilia

50–60% · Likely

Tumbes Round Ray

Urobatis tumbesensis

40–50% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Southern Sea Lion

Otaria byronia

30–40% · Possible

Mantled Howler Monkey

Alouatta palliata

20–30% · Possible

Guayaquil Squirrel

Sciurus stramineus

20–30% · Possible

Northern Ghost Bat

Diclidurus albus

10–20% · Possible

Pantropical Spotted Dolphin

Stenella attenuata

Insufficient data

Tayra

Eira barbara

Insufficient data

Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

Insufficient data

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

Insufficient data

Crab-eating Raccoon

Procyon cancrivorus

Insufficient data

Northern Tamandua

Tamandua mexicana

Insufficient data

Common Opossum

Didelphis marsupialis

Insufficient data

Ocelot

Leopardus pardalis

Insufficient data

⭐ Iconic Species

Blue-footed Booby

Sula nebouxii

30–40% · Possible

Magnificent Frigatebird

Fregata magnificens

70–80% · Very likely

📊 Most Spotted

Black Vulture

Coragyps atratus

60–70% · Likely

Southern House Wren

Troglodytes musculus

60–70% · Likely

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

60–70% · Likely

Brown Pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis

60–70% · Likely

Scrub Blackbird

Dives warczewiczi

60–70% · Likely

Blue-gray Tanager

Thraupis episcopus

50–60% · Likely

Tropical Kingbird

Tyrannus melancholicus

50–60% · Likely

Tropical Gnatcatcher

Polioptila plumbea

50–60% · Likely

Saffron Finch

Sicalis flaveola

50–60% · Likely

Emerald Hummingbird

Amazilis amazilia

50–60% · Likely

Eared Dove

Zenaida auriculata

40–50% · Likely

Gray-breasted Martin

Progne chalybea

40–50% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Green Turtle

Chelonia mydas

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Knobbed Pacific Iguana

Microlophus occipitalis

60–70% · Likely

Bocourt's Ameiva

Medopheos edracanthus

40–50% · Likely

Green Iguana

Iguana iguana

40–50% · Likely

Shieldhead Gecko

Gonatodes caudiscutatus

30–40% · Possible

Common House Gecko

Hemidactylus frenatus

20–30% · Possible

Seven-lined Ameiva

Holcosus septemlineatus

20–30% · Possible

Peters' Leaf-toed Gecko

Phyllodactylus reissii

20–30% · Possible

Central American Boa

Boa imperator

Insufficient data

Trans-Andean Vine Snake

Oxybelis transandinus

20–30% · Possible

Mastigodryas reticulatus

Mastigodryas reticulatus

10–20% · Possible

West Ecuadorian Whorl-tailed Iguana

Stenocercus iridescens

10–20% · Possible

Peru Desert Tegu

Dicrodon guttulatum

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Machalilla Poison Frog

Epipedobates machalilla

20–30% · Possible

Cachabi Robber Frog

Pristimantis achatinus

20–30% · Possible

Rosenberg's Gladiator Frog

Boana rosenbergi

10–20% · Possible

Pacific Horned Frog

Ceratophrys stolzmanni

10–20% · With luck

Jordan's Casque-headed Tree Frog

Trachycephalus jordani

10–20% · With luck

Guayaquil Dwarf Frog

Engystomops pustulatus

Insufficient data

Montubio Bully Foam Frog

Engystomops montubio

Insufficient data

Chocoan milky frog

Trachycephalus quadrangulum

Insufficient data

Masked Tree Frog

Smilisca phaeota

Insufficient data

Chimbo Rocket Frog

Hyloxalus infraguttatus

Insufficient data

Pimocha White-lipped Frog

Leptodactylus labrosus

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Tumbes Round Ray

Urobatis tumbesensis

40–50% · Likely

longtail stingray

Hypanus longus

40–50% · Possible

Gorgona Guitarfish

Pseudobatos prahli

30–40% · Possible

equatorial skate

Raja equatorialis

30–40% · Possible

Whale Shark

Rhincodon typus

Insufficient data

Southern Banded Guitarfish

Zapteryx xyster

Insufficient data

Pacific Eagle Ray

Aetobatus laticeps

Insufficient data

thorny stingray

Urotrygon rogersi

Insufficient data

Bigeye Thresher Shark

Alopias superciliosus

Insufficient data

Humpback smoothhoun

Mustelus whitneyi

Insufficient data

Oceanic Manta Ray

Mobula birostris

Insufficient data

fox shark

Alopias pelagicus

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🐋

Humpback Whale Breeding Season

JunJulAugSepOct

Humpback whales migrate from Antarctica to breed and calve in the park's warm coastal waters

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

50–60% · Likely

🐟

Giant Manta Ray Aggregation

JunJulAugSep

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 .

Oceanic Manta Ray

Mobula birostris

Insufficient data

🐦

Seabird Nesting on Isla de la Plata

JunJulAug

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.

Magnificent Frigatebird

Fregata magnificens

70–80% · Very likely

Nazca Booby

Sula granti

10–20% · Possible

Blue-footed Booby

Sula nebouxii

30–40% · Possible

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

10–20

10–20

10–20

10–20

10–20

60–70

70–80

80–90

60–70

40–50

20–30

10–20

Blue-footed Booby

20–30

10–20

30–40

20–30

10–20

60–70

40–50

30–40

30–40

30–40

40–50

10–20

40–50

30–40

40–50

40–50

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

20–30

30–40

60–70

20–30

Magnificent Frigatebird

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

Southern House Wren

60–70

60–70

50–60

70–80

70–80

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

40–50

40–50

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

30–40

50–60

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

50–60

Knobbed Pacific Iguana

50–60

70–80

40–50

30–40

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

30–40

70–80

70–80

60–70

Scrub Blackbird

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

40–50

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

Blue-gray Tanager

50–60

70–80

50–60

50–60

70–80

50–60

50–60

40–50

60–70

60–70

40–50

60–70

Tropical Kingbird

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

40–50

40–50

50–60

60–70

40–50

50–60

Tropical Gnatcatcher

60–70

50–60

30–40

40–50

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

60–70

50–60

60–70

40–50

50–60

30–40

50–60

60–70

50–60

40–50

30–40

50–60

50–60

40–50

60–70

Emerald Hummingbird

60–70

50–60

40–50

60–70

60–70

40–50

20–30

20–30

40–50

50–60

20–30

60–70

Tumbes Round Ray

70–80

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

70–80

90–100

80–90

40–50

60–70

80–90

Animal Events

🐋 Humpback Whale Breeding Season

🐟 Giant Manta Ray Aggregation

🐦 Seabird Nesting on Isla de la Plata

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Excellent

🐋 Blue-footed Boobies on Isla de la Plata

🦜

Biodiversity

Very good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.5 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

554

🐒 Mammals

174

🦎 Reptiles

89

🐸 Amphibians

24

🦈 Sharks & Rays

13

854 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

45 Threatened 50 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

4.1 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

60%

📊

Coverage (250 species at ≥5% of 854 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

29%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (10 bird, 1 reptile, 1 mammal)

47% Global avg

39%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

132 Global avg

160

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

14 Global avg

11

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

24

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