Galapagos Birds Birds to You'll See in the Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos bird-life is world renown for its finches -- the tiny little birds that played such an important role in Darwin's theory of Natural Selection. But bird-life on the islands goes far beyond its famous finches. This unique habitat supplies home for a wide variety of species, from colorful flamingo and comical blue-footed boobies, to showy frigatebirds and bizzare cormorants. The distinct features of the birds make for easy identification for the novice birder -- while the savvy will be pleased to spot the rare and treasured species found only in the Galapagos Islands. Galapagos travel offers amazing wildlife viewing opportunities. The following tables simply offer a sample of the birds found on the Islands.

Key to species' class:

Endemic: Found only in the Galapagos Islands
Endemic Sub-species: Species exists in other parts of the world, but no interbreeding with the Galapagos population. The Galapagos population may evolve into a distinct species
Resident: Found on the Galapagos Islands and elsewhere in the world. Breeds on the islands and elsewhere. Arrived in the Islands naturally.
Visitor: Frequently visits the Islands, specifically during Nov through March. Does not breed in the Galapagos.

Sea Birds of the Galapagos

The Galapagos Islands are a paradise for birdwatchers, home to an extraordinary variety of seabirds found nowhere else on earth. From the iconic blue-footed booby to the elegant waved albatross, the Galapagos birds display fascinating behaviors and unique adaptations shaped by their isolated environment. Many of the birds of the Galapagos are endemic, meaning they exist only here, making every sighting a rare and memorable experience. Whether soaring above the ocean, nesting along rocky cliffs, or diving into the water for food, the Galapagos Island birds captivate visitors with their diversity and charm. Exploring the seabird colonies offers travelers one of the most rewarding opportunities to observe the incredible birds in the Galapagos Islands up close.

 

Species	Islands Best Viewed	Class	Characteristics
Galapagos Penguin	Fernandina, Isabela, Santiago, Bartolome	Endemic	One of the world's smallest penguins. Only penguin to breed entirely within the tropics.
Waved Albatross	Espanola	Endemic	Best seen during the months of Aprthrough Dec. Breeds on the cliffs of Espanola. Courtship includes a showy dance.
Galapagos Storm Petrel	Genovesa, San Cristobal	Endemic	Also known as Wedge-rumped Storm Petral. Distinguished by large white rump and tail.
Red-billed Tropicbird	Genovesa, South Plaza	Resident	Look for this seabird's brilliant red bill and long white tail feathers - reaching up to 20 inches
Brown Pelican	Central Islands	Endemic Sub-species	A large brown bird. Catches food by diving and scooping small fish, crustaceans and water in its distinctive large beak.
Blue-footed Booby	Espanola, San Cristobal, North Seymour	Endemic Sub-species	Brown wings, white belly and bright blue feet. Feeds mainly on fish. Groups of diving Boobies are an impressive site in the Islands.
Masked or Nazca Booby	Espanola, San Cristobal, Genovesa	Endemic Sub-species	A brilliant white bird, with black wing tips and a black "masked" face. Largest of the Islands' Boobies.
Red-footed Booby	San Cristobal, Genovesa, Wolf, Darwin	Endemic Sub-species	Smallest of the three Boobies, with red webbed feet. Perches and nests in trees.
Flightless Cormorant	Fernandina, Isabela	Endemic	Flightless bird, whose wings appear to serve no obvious purpose. An aquatic courtship ritual includes a unique 'snake-necking'
Magnificent Frigatebird	North Seymour, Floreana, Isabela, San Cristobal, Genovesa	Endemic Sub-species	Impressive, large birds with a wingspan up to 8 feet. Males are famous for their red goular, which they display during breeding season.
Great Frigatebird	Espanola, North Seymour, Genovesa, San Cristobal, Fernandina	Resident	Very similar appearance to the Magnificent. The Giant male has a green sheen to its back feathers; the Magnificent's back feathers have a purplish hue.
Swallow-tailed Gull	Genovesa, South Plaza	Endemic	The world's only nocturnal gull. Distinguished by their black head, red ring around the eye and a black beak with a gray tip.
Lava Gull	Santa Cruz, Isabela, Genovesa, South Plaza	Endemic	A nest robber and scavenger. This gull has a dark gray body and black wings.
Brown Noddy	South Plaza, Santa Cruz, Rabida, Isabela, Bartolome	Endemic Sub-species	Also called a Common Noddy. Has a comedic trait of sitting on the heads of pelicans while they fish, hoping to snag some leftovers.

Land Birds

Species	Islands Best Viewed	Class	Characteristics
Galapagos Hawk	South Plaza, Espanola, Fernandina, Santa Fe	Endemic	Brown hawk with sharply hooked yellow beak and yellow legs. Juveniles are known to approach people, even land on them.
Osprey	Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela	Visitor	Best sightings are near mangrove lagoons. Mainly white body and head, with dark brown wings. Also known as Fish Eagle.
Barn Owl	Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela	Endemic Sub-species	Distinctive heart-shaped face. Nests in lava holes or other volanic formations.
Galapagos Dove	Main Islands	Endemic	Small rust-colored dove with bright red legs. Has next to no fear of humans. Nests on the ground.
Galapagos Rail	Highlands of Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela	Endemic	While not flightless, this birds is a reluctant flyer, which makes it vulnerable to predators. Head and chest are a navy blue, with dark brown back and wings.
Belted Kingfisher	Lagoons on Isabela, San Cristobal	Visitor	Only kingfisher found in the Islands. Feeds by plunge-diving. Larger bird, roughly a foot long.
Dark-billed Cuckoo	Santa Cruz, Charles Darwin Research Station	Resident	Feeds on insets in densley vegetated regions. Dark in color with black cap. Belly and neck are light and has a long brown tail.
Galapagos Mockingbird	Santa Cruz, South Plaza, Santiago, Santa Fe, Isabela, Fernandina, Genovesa, Darwin, Wolf	Endemic	Has a unique family unit where the juveniles help feed the hatchlings. Slender birds with a black sloping beak. Nests in trees and cacti.
Galapagos Flycatcher	Main Islands - except Genovesa	Endemic	Small light-brown bird with dusty colored chest. Feeds on insects, and is known to approach people.
Yellow Warbler	Widespread	Endemic Sub-species	Small, bright yellow bird. Males have a rust-colored streak on the crown. Both parents are responsible for feeding the young.

Coastal Birds

Species	Islands Best Viewed	Class	Characteristics
Great Blue Heron	Main Islands	Resident	Standing at 3 feet tall, this heron has a wingspan of nearly 6 feet. Males and females share the task of incubation and feeding.
Great Egret	Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela, Santiago, Floreana	Resident	A large all-white bird with a long yellow beak. Also referred to as the Common Egret.
Lava Heron	Widespread	Endemic	Small, solid gray heron. Favorite food includes Sally Lightfoot crabs.
Yellow-crowned Night Heron	Widespread - except Darwin & Wolf	Endemic Sub-species	Distinctive black head with a tan crown and prominant white stripes along the cheeks. Often seen balancing on one leg.
Greater Flamingo	Isabela, Santa Cruz, Floreana, Rabida, Santiago	Resident	Large pink bird with a long neck and legs. Population on the islands hovers around 500. Can live up to 30 years.
American Oystercatcher	Widespread	Endemic Sub-species	Shorebird. Has a long and brilliant red beak. Black head and wings. White belly and chest.
Greater Yellowlegs	Widespread	Visitor	A larger wader - roughly a foot tall. Speckled brown and white with long yellow legs and a sharp, thin beak.
Least Sandpiper	Widespread - Dec through March	Visitor	Most common sandpiper on the Islands. During breeding, have a redish cap. Legs are yellow and has a sharp black bill.

Finches

Species	Islands Best Viewed	Class	Characteristics
Large Ground Finch	Widespread	Endemic	A large finch with a very large beak. Males are mainly black. Females are grey-brown with pale streaks on the breast.
Medium Ground Finch	Widespread	Endemic	Very similar plumage to the Large Ground. Commonly feeds in groups and is seen pecking ectoparasites off iguanas.
Small Ground Finch	Widespread	Endemic	Smaller size and stubby beak distinguish it from the Medium Ground.
Sharp-beaked Ground Finch	Highlands of Santiago, Fernandina, Pinta	Endemic	Can be found feeding on bird lice from Booby nests. Will also roll Booby eggs from the nest and eat the contents.
Cactus Ground Finch	Widespread	Endemic	Nests in Opuntia cactus. Has a long, sloping beak. Feeds on the Opuntia flowers.
Large Cactus Ground Finch	Espanola, Genovesa, Darwin, Wolf	Endemic	Larger finch with a powerful beak. Not as specialized in feeding on the Opuntia cactus as its small sister species.
Vegetarian Finch	Widespread	Endemic	A large finch. Males have a dark head and wings, with a light belly. Females are brown with spotted, light belly.
Large Tree Finch	Widespread - humid areas	Endemic	Males has black head and neck - rest of bird is a grey/brown. Females are grey/brown with pale bellies. Beak looks almost parrot-like with a curved top and bottom.
Medium Tree Finch	Floreana	Endemic	Found only in the humid region of Floreana. Its beak is pointer than the Larger Tree Finch.
Small Tree Finch	Widespread	Endemic	Smalles of the Tree Finches - adults are only 4 inches. Found in humid regions.
Woodpecker Finch	Widespread	Endemic	Famous for using a tool, such as twig, to retrieve larva from rotted wood. During breeding, their beak turns black.
Mangrove Finch	Mangroves of Southern Isabela	Endemic	The most endangered bird species in the Galapagos. Population is a mere 40-50 pairs.
Warbler Finch	Widespread	Endemic	Smallest of the finches. While smaller and less vibrant in color, is easily mistaken for the yellow warbler.