List of birds of the Galápagos Islands

This is a list of birds recorded in the Galápagos islands of Ecuador, where 185 species have been documented as of February 2019.[1] Of them, 30 are endemic, three nest only in the Galápagos, and virtually the entire population of a fourth nests there. Seventeen endemic subspecies are noted. In addition, 85 of the species are accidental, five were introduced to the islands, and five are domesticated.

Unless otherwise noted, this list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) are those of the South American Classification Committee (SACC) of the American Ornithological Society.[2]

The following tags are used to define several categories of occurrence. Untagged species are common non-endemic residents, migrants, or seasonal visitors.

  • (A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in the Galápagos
  • (E) Endemic - a species found only the Galápagos
  • (EB) Endemic breeder - a species which nests only in the Galápagos but is found elsewhere in the non-breeding season
  • (ES) Endemic subspecies - a subspecies found only in the Galápagos
  • (I) Introduced - a species introduced to the Galápagos as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
  • (D) Domesticated - a species which is domesticated in the Galápagos but not naturalised

Ducks

Order Anseriformes Family Anatidae

These are excellent at an aquatic life thanks to an oily covering on their feathers.

Guineafowl

Order Galliformes Family Numididae

Guineafowl are African gamebirds, mostly spotted, with bare skin on the head and neck to lose heat.

Pheasants

Order Galliformes Family Phasianidae

Phasianidae consists of the pheasants and their allies. These are terrestrial species, variable in size but generally plump with broad relatively short wings. Many species are gamebirds or have been domesticated as a food source for humans.

Flamingos

Order Phoenicopteriformes Family Phoenicopteridae

Flamingos are water birds with a downcurved beak for sieving food.

Grebes

Order Podicipediformes Family Podicipedidae

Grebes are aquatic birds most closely related to flamingoes. They are well adapted to living in water but are clumsy on land, never straying far from water when they build their nests.

Pigeons

Order Columbiformes Family Columbidae

Pigeons and doves are medium to large mostly plump birds. Most are arboreal species descending to the ground to feed but some are terrestrial like the quail-doves of South America or the pheasant-pigeon of New Guinea. They are found worldwide except near the poles and in a wide variety of habitats including urban. The feral form of the rock pigeon has been introduced worldwide.

Cuckoos

Order Cuculiformes Family Cuculidae

Cuckoos are found almost worldwide. They are highly variable in size, shape, colour, and habits.

Nightjars

Order Caprimulgiformes Family Caprimulgidae

Nighthawks belong to the same family as nightjars but are found only in the Americas. They have mottled or striped plumage for camouflage.

Swifts

Order Apodiformes Family Apodidae

Swifts are aerodynamic species which are found worldwide. Some species are migratory, others resident, and others still have both migratory and resident populations.

Rails

Order Gruiformes Family Rallidae

Rails are usually secretive birds. Many island species are flightless and many of those have gone extinct in the last five centuries. Gallinules are less secretive, and are usually found near or on water.

Plovers

Order Charadriiformes Family Charadriidae

Plovers are dull-coloured shorebirds without many distinguishing features. The bill is short and straight to catch worms on the surface. Lapwings are slightly bigger and more colourful shorebirds. Their legs are longer than plover's but the bill is the same size with respect to the body.

Oystercatchers

Order Charadriiformes Family Haematopodidae

Oystercatchers are black or black and white shorebirds with long orange bills and with or without an eyering. The legs are pinkish.

Avocets and stilts

Order Charadriiformes Family Recurvirostridae

Stilts are spindly legged birds with black and white markings.

Sandpipers

Order Charadriiformes Family Scolopacidae

Sandpipers are long-legged mostly long-billed shorebirds. Some like woodcocks and snipes are forest species but most others are estuarine or wetland species.

Skuas

Order Charadriiformes Family Stercorariidae

Stercorariidae are predatory birds typically separated into the bigger Catharacta skuas and the smaller Stercorarius jaegers.

Gulls

Order Charadriiformes Family Laridae

Gulls are seabirds although some are found on freshwater. They have hooked bills and some have hoods or caps on their heads. Terns were formerly placed in a family of their own, Sternidae, but now they are commonly placed along with gulls and skimmers in Laridae. Their bills are straighter than those of gulls.

Tropicbirds

Order Phaethontiformes Family Phaethontidae

Tropicbirds are seabirds once thought to be closely related to pelicans but are now known to belong to a clade known as Metaves.

Penguins

Order Sphenisciformes Family Spheniscidae

Penguins are southern ocean birds with only this one species occurring north of the equator. They are small to large in size and mostly black and white in colour.

Albatrosses

Order Procellariiformes Family Diomedeidae

Albatrosses are large tubenoses with wingspans of more than a meter. Most are southern ocean species but some are found in the northern Pacific Ocean.

Southern storm-petrels

Order: Procellariiformes Family: Oceanitidae

Storm-petrels are small marine birds that are mostly black and white. Until 2018, this family's species were included with the other storm-petrels in family Hydrobatidae.

Northern storm-petrels

Order: Procellariiformes Family: Hydrobatidae

Though the members of this family are similar in many respects to the southern storm-petrels, including their general appearance and habits, there are enough genetic differences to warrant their placement in a separate family.

Shearwaters

Order Procellariiformes Family Procellariidae

Petrels and shearwaters are known collectively as tubenoses for the tubes on their beaks which they use for excreting salt.

Frigatebirds

Order Suliformes Family Fregatidae

Frigatebirds are black (with some white markings) seabirds. The males have a red throat patch to attract females.

Boobies

Order Suliformes Family Sulidae

Boobies are seabirds which were once lumped along with darters, cormorants, and frigatebirds in Pelecaniformes. Their feet are variously coloured, black with striped toes in gannets, and grey, red, blue, yellow, black, or ochre in boobies.

Cormorants

Order Suliformes Family Phalacrocoracidae

Cormorants are seabirds which normally stand upright. Most of them have markings on their face and wings. Only the Galápagos species is flightless.

Pelicans

Order Pelecaniformes Family Pelecanidae

Pelicans are large seabirds, variable in colour but alike in shape. All have a gular pouch to catch fish.

Herons

Order Pelecaniformes Family Ardeidae

Herons are long-necked long-legged water birds. The majority feed on fish and other pond-life.

Osprey

Order Accipitriformes Family Pandionidae

Pandionidae is a monotypic family of fish-eating birds of prey. Its single species possesses a very large and powerful hooked beak, strong legs, strong talons, and keen eyesight.

Hawks

Order Accipitriformes Family Accipitridae

Hawks are close relatives of eagles and kites although none of these have been recorded in the Galápagos.

Barn owls

Order Strigiformes Family Tytonidae

Barn owls are owls with a heart-shaped face.

Owls

Order Strigiformes Family Strigidae

Typical or "true" owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk.

Kingfishers

Order Coraciiformes Family Alcedinidae

Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails.

Falcons

Order Falconiformes Family Falconidae

Falcons are streamlined aerodynamic birds of prey which were traditionally thought to be closely related to the Accipitriformes. Recent genetic studies place them closer to parrots.

New World and African parrots

Order Psittaciformes Family Psittacidae

Parrots are colourful tropical species with a curved bill and zygodactyl feet.

Tyrant flycatchers

Order Passeriformes Family Tyrannidae

Tyrant flycatchers are a group of American passerines which are not related to the Old World flycatchers of the family Muscicapidae.

Vireos

Order Passeriformes Family Vireonidae

Vireos are small greenish or yellowish birds.

Swallows

Order Passeriformes Family Hirundinidae

Swallows and martins are passerines not closely related to swifts although they have superficial resemblance. They have short pointed wings.

Waxwings

Order Passeriformes Family Bombycillidae

Waxwings are medium-sized, plump birds. All three species in the family are migratory and occasionally turn up in unexpected places.

Mockingbirds

Order Passeriformes Family Mimidae

Mockingbirds are an American group of passerine birds. In the Galápagos they are famous (along with Darwin's finches) for confirming Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.

Blackbirds

Order Passeriformes Family Icteridae

The icterids are a group of small to medium-sized, often colourful passerine birds restricted to the New World.

Wood-warblers

Order Passeriformes Family Parulidae

The wood-warblers are a group of small, often colorful, passerine birds restricted to the New World. Most are arboreal, but some are more terrestrial. Most members of this family are insectivores.

Cardinal grosbeaks

Order Passeriformes Family Cardinalidae

Cardinals are a group of finch-like birds; most are colourful with seed-eating beaks.

Tanagers

Order Passeriformes Family Thraupidae

The tanagers are a large group of small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to the New World, mainly in the tropics. Most of the 19 species in the family which have been recorded in the Galápagos are "Darwin's finches". Famous for inspiring Darwin in his theory of evolution, the finches have astonishingly different beaks.

Notes
  1. This species is not on the SACC list. Its placement follows Clements.
  2. The SACC has split Pyrocephalus nanus from Pyrocephalus rubinus (Proposal 818A) but has not assigned English names, so the proposal has not been implemented and the counts do not reflect the change.

References
  1. "Species Checklist "Aves"". Charles Darwin Foundation. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  2. Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, J. F. Pacheco, C. Ribas, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, D. F. Stotz, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 28 July 2020. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved July 29, 2020

See also
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