This one’s for the birds

Unlike Charles Darwin, I came to the Galapagos for the finches. But like him, I was delighted by all of the other Galapagos birds as well! If you love birds, the Galapagos is an incredible place to add to your life list and watch amazing avians of all kinds.

The Galapagos Mockingbird that so captivated the great naturalist also enchanted Kent and I. The mockingbird was our first bird sighting on the islands, because the little finca we were staying on had one in residence! This species has dramatic black and white feathers, plus an incredible array of songs and calls. Part of the reason that Darwin took an interest in the mockingbird is because, much like his finches, these birds differ from island to island. We now recognize several distinct species, of which the Galapagos Mockingbird is the most common.

In this strikingly intimate portrait, a Galapagos Mockingbird seems to pose, perched on a lava rock. Note it's black eye makeup extending from it's black beak, and the contrast of its white breast against it's hazelnut head and wing feathers.

The mockingbird will draw your ear, while one very special warbler will catch your eye. One of the most colorful of the Galapagos songbirds is the Galapagos Yellow Warbler. We kept seeing this spectacular little bird everywhere! With it’s cheerful song and sunny plumage, it was a delight to find on our farm and meet while out-and-about on adventures!

Another bird we spotted at the tortoise reserve took me forever to identify. It was shaped like a shorebird, but in the wrong habitat. Plus, my bird was much darker than the sandpipers I’ve seen. Back at home, I spent hours poring over bird books and websites. It seems like we saw a Sora – our first of the rail family!

This photograph actually features two species! The sora is in the foreground, standing in a green, algae-filled pond. Beyond this pond, laying in the dark, thick mud is a Galapagos giant tortoise!

Did you know there is a species of owl unique to the Galapagos islands? We were so focused on songbirds and seabirds that our owl sighting can only be chalked up to chance. We had decided to check out a cave during our exploration of the Santa Cruz highlands. Beside it, in an old building pointed out to us by a friendly local, were a pair of Galapagos Barn Owls!

Here, two barn owls huddle sleepily on a perch under a corrugated metal roof. The second owl is almost completely hidden by the first. The owl closer to the camera gazes out with one a heavily-lidded eye.

Moving from the highlands toward the sea now, we started to see herons! My love of this genus dates back to bike rides in Korea, and I’m always happy to watch these stealthy stalkers. A Black-crowned Night Heron hopped nimbly around lava rocks on the beach, seeking prey. It was also delightful to see a Yellow-crowned Night Heron in the same habitat – my first! The difference between these two related birds is striking. Perhaps my favorite heron sighting of the trip was a funny interaction between a Sally Lightfoot crab and a Green Heron on a boat dock!

In the coastal areas of Santa Cruz, we also spotted our some Lava Gulls. These birds look so like noddies that I was at first convinced they were! Luckily, gulls are never shy, and they let us approach for a closer look. We only learned long after our sighting that these dusky birds are some of the rarest gulls in the world.

A black noddy - no, lava gull! - sits on a wooden dock. This species is dark grey all-over, with slightly darker eyes, bill and tail feathers. This individual has it's head turned slightly towards the camera.

Brown Pelicans were also a common sighting. Though we often encountered this species on the beaches of California, they are always a delight to watch. I love the way they surf the air above a wave, and the bold way they splash down into the water. Yes, they do some scary stuff like eat the chicks of other species. But for casual birdwatching along the shore, pelies are underrated.

A large brown pelican is a dramatic presence on the lava rocks of the Galapagos seashore. It's long orange bill is tucked tightly against it's long white neck. It has a plump brown body and wings, and an intense yellow eye.

On Santa Cruz, we also had the good fortune to see two brand new shorebirds! The Whimbrel is striking with it’s long ballerina legs and graceful curved bill. The Sanderling is a snow white little dream of a sand piper!

On Isabela, we strolled around several lagoons featuring American Flamingos – always a sight to see! I love their pretty pink feathers and propensity for standing on a single leg.

An American Flamingo stands on one-leg, reflected in the yellow waters of a brackish lagoon, surrounded by mangroves. This individual is coral-hued and it's graceful neck forms the shape of a backwards letter 's'.

However, the most striking sight in the swamp was a Black-necked Stilt – another new species for me! Although you can also see this bird in the contiguous US too, to me it looked incredibly exotic. Those long red legs and black dagger of a bill: this bird is a scene-stealer!

This Black-necked Stilt is a striking individual: striding forward on it's pink legs, poised to plunge it's needle-like bill into the yellow swamp water. Lava rocks break the water's surface, creating an otherworldly scene.

I have one last land-based sighting to share before we move on to seabirds. On San Christobal, on our last day, we saw a Ruddy Turnstone! I’d been eager to eventually see this striking shorebird since I turned birder. It was as delightful in person as it is the pages of bird books and in Wingspan! Plus, it was hanging out with a bunch of super adorable sea lions…big multi-species win!

In this multi-species photograph, a Ruddy Turnstone turns over the sand in front of a seal lion laying in the surf in the background.

Galapagos has truly magnificent seabirds – literally, in the case of the Magnificent Frigatebird! However, my ability to photograph these beautiful birds was limited by my fear of taking my big camera on our kayak and snorkel excursions. (I really need to (a) upgrade my kit and (b) get a waterproof housing, finally!) So, with apologies for the less-than-ideal quality, I’d like to present our stellar seabird sightings next!

Possibly the most famous of the Galapagos seabirds, and my favorite to see in real life, is the Blue-footed Booby. Those beautiful, bright feets! The drama of showing them off to a potential partner! Our best sighting was when our skilled snorkel boat captain drove both backwards and forwards all the way around a rock topped by a nesting pair. Incredible!

This photo features some of the Galapagos' most famous seabirds: the Blue-footed Boobies! The male stands to the right, with one blue foot extended and facing towards his mate. The female sits low on the lava rock to the left.

We also saw Nasca Boobies, the aforementioned Magnificent Frigatebirds, Galapagos Penguins(!), and even a Galapagos Hawk – though I have few, if any, high quality pictures of these species. I want to see a male Magnificent Frigatebird display its great red chest, and I’d love to see penguins swim by underwater. We also did not get to see any Red-footed Boobies. Guess we’ll have to go back (:

Thank you for appreciating the best of the birds that the Galapagos has to offer! The Galapagos are amazing, and so are all the birds!


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