Land Birds - Galápagos

Eco-Tour

By Karey Fuhs

Few species of land birds inhabit the Galápagos, and three-quarters (22 of 29) of these are endemic. Unlike other Galápagos fauna, most land birds are visually unpleasing, spanning the dull and drab spectrum of the color palette. As if to overcompensate for being color-challenged, these birds have a shining personality, reacting to humans with tame indifference, curiosity, or even pestering.

 Darwin’s finches—the famous little birds that helped to inspire their namesake’s evolutionary theories—are known to land on your dinner table (or in your hand, if there are crumbs in it). Mockingbirds, which hop carelessly over any surface, including human feet, are also exemplary of this trusting behavior. The Galápagos Hawk, Short-eared Owl, and Galápagos Dove are also surprisingly accessible to visitor viewing and are described here.