Incredible Birds of the Galapagos by Land, Sea, and Shore

There are 56 indigenous bird species in the Galapagos Islands. There are forty-five species of Galapagos birds that are unique to the archipelago. Twenty-nine other species of migratory birds fly by the islands. Birds of the Enchanted Islands include shorebirds, landbirds, and marine birds. 

 Discovering the Local Fauna: Six Galapagos Birds 

 Check out these amazing Galapagos Islands birds up close! 

 Begin your trip to the Galapagos now! 

 The blue-footed boobies, or Sula nebouxii as they are scientifically known, are the most well-known birds of the Galapagos. Their moniker derives from the Spanish word “bobo,” which means “fool.” Despite being incredibly graceful divers, they get their name from how awkwardly they move on land. This species lacks natural predators, like many other Galapagos creatures, therefore they associate with people without fear. Seymour Island serves as one of its most significant breeding sites, however it is seen across the archipelago. 

Marine birds known as blue-footed boobies may be seen in and around the Galapagos Islands.

Darwin’s finches are a group of tanagers that belong to the Geospizinae subfamily and consist of 14 species. They are not particularly similar to genuine finches genetically! Every finch species has a unique set of island covers. Because finches are confined to a specific island, they can only be found there. There are other kinds of finches on every island. The physical traits of each species have been specially tailored to the food sources in their environment. The huge ground sparrow, Geospiza magnirostris, has evolved a large, powerful beak because it must shatter seed to eat. The little tree sparrow, Camarhynchus parvulus, is ready to use his tiny beak to hunt insects. Sharp-billed ground finches, or G. difficilis, are vampire-like birds that feed on the blood of other birds to survive. 

Darwin’s finches are named after the Galapagos Islands finches, who were essential in the development of Darwin’s theory of evolution.

Eaters of the night are limited to the swallow-tailed gull, or Creagrus furcatus. In search of plankton, fish and squid surface at night and are consumed by them. While they may be found on all islands, swallow-tailed gulls are most frequently observed breeding on rocky ledges and cliffs. These Galapagos birds, like albatrosses, form lifelong mates, and both sexes tend to the young. 

Previously known as the waved albatross, Phoebastria irrorata is the biggest bird of the Galapagos Islands. Their wingspan is around 7 to 8 feet, and their maximum weight is 11 pounds. The only place where albatrosses breed is Española Island. The same pair mates with these incredible Galapagos birds year. Parents, whether male and female, assist in raising their children. 

 The airborne pirates of the Galapagos are Frigatebirds. The great and superb frigatebirds are the two kinds that may be found on the islands. Owing to their large wingspan, Darwin called these birds “condors of the ocean.” These birds can fly for a remarkable duration of months at a time, making them amazing aviators. The way these pirate-birds feed is by snatching food from other seabirds in midair, thus their ability to navigate in the air comes in useful.