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The blue chaffinch can only be found on Gran Canaria and Tenerife. These birds depend on the native pine forests, so it’s important that their habitat does not get destroyed. Today there are very few left on Gran Canaria, so you’ll be more likely to see them on Tenerife hey are found in the pine forests at heights of up to 1,800 metres. You might see small flocks drinking from woodland streams. They can usually be seen on higher ground, except in harsh weather when they are forced down to lower altitudes. Blue chaffinches are slightly larger than the chaffinches you see in Britain. Male birds are slate-blue with pale wing bars, and a whitish belly and throat. Females are less colourful. Their plumage is mostly brown, but they sometimes have a greenish tinge to their head. They love to feast on seeds from pine cones, and their short, pointed bills are designed to reach inside and remove the seeds with ease. Blue chaffinches also eat insects and moths. These sociable birds gather in small flocks of up to ten individuals, but they are more solitary during the breeding season when they are often seen alone or in pairs. They start nest-building at the end of May. Their nests are made from twigs, pine needles, moss, lichen and spiders’ webs, and are nearly always built in pine trees. Females lay three to six greenish-blue eggs speckled with chestnut or purple. The newborn chicks are fed on caterpillars. One of the best places to see these beautiful birds is at the Las Lajas Recreation Area. This popular picnic area is about 11km from Vilaflor, the highest town in Tenerife.
These sociable birds gather in small flocks of up to ten individuals, but they are more solitary during the breeding season when they are often seen alone or in pairs. They start nest-building at the end of May. Their nests are made from twigs, pine needles, moss, lichen and spiders’ webs, and are nearly always built in pine trees. Females lay three to six greenish-blue eggs speckled with chestnut or purple. The newborn chicks are fed on caterpillars. One of the best places to see these beautiful birds is at the Las Lajas Recreation Area. This popular picnic area is about 11km from Vilaflor, the highest town in Tenerife. Island canary
Island canaries are slightly larger than other members of the Serin family to which they belong. Unlike the bright yellow domestic canary, they are more olive coloured with greyish-brown tails and pale pink bills. Island Canaries can be found in a range of habitats, including laurel forest, woodland and open countryside. Canaries are quite difficult to spot in the wild, as they stay hidden among the leafy trees. They have a distinctive song, and you might hear them singing in the trees even if you can’t see them. Their contact call is a very high-pitched ‘sooee’ or ‘sweee’. Their delightful song is a series of whistles and trills, and it sounds very much like the song of domestic birds you may have heard in Britain. Wild canaries feed on seeds of grass and weeds. During the breeding season from January to July, they make small, cup-shaped nests in trees and bushes. Females lay up to five eggs, which are incubated (kept warm) for about two weeks before they hatch. These birds are widespread on the Canary Isles, and are commonly found on Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. If you’re having a picnic at the Las Lajas Recreation Area (11km from Vilaflor) on Tenerife, you might be lucky enough to see them flying around near the water taps. They can also be found on the Azores and Madeira.
The laurel pigeon is dark grey with a purple breast. It has a bluish-grey head with distinctive green patches on each side of its neck. It has creamy white tail feathers, and is also known as the white-tailed laurel pigeon. Laurel pigeons breed on Tenerife, Gomera and La Palma. They are quite rare, but there’s another species called the Bolle’s laurel pigeon, which you are more likely to see. They look very similar to laurel pigeons, but they have dark tails with a grey band across the end. They are most commonly found in dense laurel forests in mountainous areas, but are sometimes seen on heathland or more open ground. The Bolle’s laurel pigeon looks very similar to the one in the pictures, which comes from Madeira. These two species are very closely related, but the long-toed laurel pigeon has silvery patches on its neck, whereas both Canary Island species have green ones.
Bolle’s laurel pigeons breed from January to September on Gomera, but on Tenerife their breeding season only lasts until May. The nests are built from twigs and stems in laurel trees, about three to six metres above the ground. One white egg is laid, and incubated for 18-19 days. On hot days they roost in the deep shade of the laurel trees. In late summer they fly to lower altitudes to feed on ripe cereals and fruits. Their preferred diet is fruit, but they will also eat buds, leaves and shoots. These pigeons have been seen in large numbers plucking berries from trees, but they do also feed on the ground. One of the few remaining areas of laurel forest on Tenerife can be found around Monte del Agua, so it’s an ideal place to see these pigeons. Another good place to see them is at the Parque Nacional de Garajonay on the small island of Gomera. They can also be seen at Los Tilos on La Palma. Loggerhead turtle
Adults are about 80 centimetres long, and their shells are a greenish brown colour. They have broad heads and very powerful jaws which they use to crush the shells of crustaceans like crabs, shrimps and lobsters. They also feed on jellyfish and aquatic plants.
after laying, females return to sea leaving their eggs to incubate. The tiny hatchlings emerge about two months later. Newly hatched turtles are less than five centimetres long. They dig their way out of the sand and make their way down the beach to the sea. Loggerhead turtles are one of the most endangered marine species in Europe. Wall geckos
The gecko is an excellent climber, and can even scamper across ceilings. The secret is in its toes. Most geckos have special pads on their feet to help them climb. These pads have thousands of tiny forked hairs - a bit like velcro - which produce an electrical charge that helps them cling to vertical surfaces. A gecko walks by rolling these hairs onto the surface, then curling up its toes to peel them off again. Geckos are experts at travelling on walls, ceilings and even the smooth surface of a window-pane. There are several types of wall gecko found on the Canary Islands. One is called the striped Canary Island Gecko and at about 10cm long it is one of the smallest species of wall gecko. They have quite narrow heads and are golden-brown or pinkish in colour with a flecked tail. They can often be seen on rocks and low dry stone walls where they hide in small cracks and crevices. This species can only be found on Gran Canaria. You’re unlikely to see them on modern buildings, so keep a look out for older houses with stone walls and you might see a wall gecko sunning itself during the day. Another type of Canary Island wall gecko is much larger with long legs and tail. It can grow to be 20cm long. These are grey with about five darker bands around their body, and a lighter stripe running down the length of their back. The eyes are a golden-brown colour. They are found on stony ground in areas of volcanic activity on Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. You can see many more pictures of geckos by visiting the Global Gecko Association website.
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The information contained within this page is a general guide to the islands wildlife and by no means is it extensive.
We at Island Mobility have compiled this specific site to provide general information relative to Lanzarote & Fuerteventura and the other Islands within the canaries. We hope that tourists along with residents of Lanzarote & Fuerteventura will gain a small inside to the fauna and its ecosystems, the landscapes are unusual, and some of the wildlife is rare and has adapted to the somewhat hostile and arid conditions over centuries.
Island Mobility is a Company based in Lanzarote & Fuerteventura that hire, rents, sells mobility aides & general disability equipment. Our range of products is extensive and include electric mobility scooters, electric wheelchairs, manual wheelchairs, electric mobility hoists, shower chairs, commode chairs, bath boards, walking frames. We can also assist if you require information on stair lifts walk in baths pool hoists or any general adaptation that residents may need to their home enabling them to have greater flexibility and independence within their living space.
Should you require any further information regarding our products and services please visit our main site http://www.islandmobility.com/
Hire & Rent Mobility Equipment & Disable Aides Abroad: Lanzarote & Fuerteventura in the Canary IslandsNothing could be easier: to hire and rent mobility equipment and aides in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura it is a simple one step process: To hire a manual wheelchair or electric wheelchair, an electric mobility scooter, any mobility aid in Lanzarote you simply select the mobility equipment that's right for you from our on-line booking form and we do the rest. Or if you prefer, call us directly for hires on Lanzarote or rentals on Fuerteventura dial from the UK: 0034 928 349 533 or 0034 696 389 034. Alternatively you can e-mail us at mailto:info@islandmobility.com
Whether you will be visiting Costa Tequise, Puerto del Carmen, Arricife, Playa Blanca or anywhere on Lanzarote, or Corralejo, Puerto del Rosario, Cofete, Morro Jable, Costa Calma, Caleta de Fuste, La Pared or anywhere on Fuerteventura we will deliver all of our mobility equipment directly to your hotel, villa or apartment, and we collect directly from you at the end of your stay......nothing could be easier!
Unlike other companies, we are based in Lanzarote and in Fuerteventura, you hire directly with us, we supply, maintain and deliver the equipment to you where ever you are staying on Lanzarote or Fuerteventura. We do not third party any of our mobility equipment bookings. You hire from us, you deal with us... directly. We do not pass your details and requirements on to any other mobility hire company for a commission or fee.
We do not require any pre-payment or booking fees or deposits, in fact we only ask you to part with your money once we deliver the mobility equipment and we have made any adjustments to the mobility aide that you have hired and that we are sure you are happy with the product that you have rented from us.
We are the only Disability Equipment & Mobility Aids hire company on Lanzarote that offers a daily hire rate (although we do have some mobility equipment that has a minimum hire period, this applies mainly to the smaller low cost products such as toilet seat risers, bath boards etc). We also reduce our rental charge depending on the complete hire period; the longer a mobility product is hired, the cheaper the daily rate. For all hires on Lanzarote there is no charge for delivery or collection, the only charge to you, our customer, is the daily rate x the number of hire days depending on the length of time that you hire the mobility aide and/or disability equipment for. For all hires on Fuerteventura we do make a small charge for delivery & collection but like Lanzarote the only charge to you, our customer, is for the mobility & disability equipment that you hire. There are no hidden fee's or charges. Only on hires of our electric beds do we charge a fee of 25e to cover the cost of the installation and de:installation time. There are no hidden fee's or charges what so ever. With some equipment it is necessary for us to charge a small deposit, refundable upon the safe return of our equipment at the end of the hire period, we will advise you of any deposit when we deliver the mobility Aide or disability equipment to you.
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