Galapagos – Rails, Herons, Pelicans

Also among the waders of the archipelago are the American oystercatcher, the Bahama duck, the crooked-billed whimbrel and five species of heron: the well-camouflaged lava heron, the widespread American grey heron, the great egret, the nocturnal crab heron, which is relatively rare in Galápagos, and the cattle egret, which is native to the Santa Cruz mountains. The herons feel at home on the Galapagos Islands due to the extremely rich food supply.

Despite its smooth, grey-tinted plumage, the common fork-tailed gull is one of the most attractive seabirds in the archipelago. The white chest, the three-coloured beak, as well as the red feet and red circles under the eyes on the black coat, give this nocturnal fish hunter an elegant appearance. The seagulls’ diet also includes delicious octopus, which they grab just below the surface of the water after dark. In order to avoid the pursuit of the frigate birds, they also feed their young at an even later hour. Numerous specimens of the year-round breeding birds can be found at many visitor sites on the islands.

The rail species find a rich offer on the beaches and the various cliff and reef zones. In addition to the ubiquitous seabirds, the islands are also home to a variety of waders. This feathered extended family gets its food from mangrove forests, coastal saltwater lagoons, and washed beach shores.

Although the brown pelican is the smallest compared to its seven other conspecifics, it is still one of the largest seabirds in Galápagos. It usually breeds on mangroves and other bushes in the immediate vicinity of the shore. Even if the enduring shock diver is not endemic to the archipelago, i.e. is therefore actually nothing special, its absence at jetties, on dinghies and reelings, would cause the deepest consternation. Pelicans belong to Galápagos like penguins to Antarctica. You can approach the animals up to short distances, as humans are not recognized as enemies or hunters.