Comunidades de Aves Marinas de Galápagos

El comportamiento de las comunidades de aves marinas, su abundancia y distribución en mar abierto, ha

sido poco estudiado y su investigación se ha concentrado en las zonas costeras y en el archipiélago; los datos
obtenidos hasta la fecha todavía no incluyen un escenario sobre su distribución real, pero sí mencionan si la
especie usualmente se encuentran en las playas o costas rocosas.
En las Islas Galápagos las comunidades de aves marinas y costeras está dividida en tres órdenes, a saber:
Shenisciformes, Procellariiformes y Pelecaniformes. Así mismo, se han registrado 88 especies marinas y
costeras las cuales pueden se dividen en tres grandes grupos: reproductivas (21 especies), migratorias (23
especies), y ocasionales o errantes (44 especies). Dentro del grupo de reproductivas se encuentran especies
endémicas -exclusivas de la región-, y nativas -que se reproducen en el archipiélago y existen en otras partes
del mundo.
De las especies endémicas, hay 21 especies anidantes, de las cuales seis están identificadas como en peligro
en la lista roja de la UICN: el pingüino de las Galápagos, el albatros de las Galápagos, el petrel de las
Galápagos, el petrel pata pegada, la golondrina de mar maderina y la golondrina de mar de Galápagos (Tabla
1).

Tabla 1. Aves marinas y costeras que se reproducen en las Galápagos

Nombre Orden Fami Especie Estado UICN Habitat and Ecology
Común lia
Pingüino de Shenis Sphe Shenicus Endangered With its range located
Galápagos/ ciform nisci mendiculus/ on the equator, the
Galapagos es dae Spheniscus Galápagos Penguin is
Penguin mendiculus the most northerly
breeding penguin
species. Nonetheless, its
distribution is highly
linked to the cool and
nutrient-rich oceanic
waters in the western
Galápagos archipelago,
that allows for a high
density of prey when
upwelling is present . It
nests just above sea
level and forages close
to shore and at
relatively shallow
depths. Galápagos
Penguins breed
throughout the year,
coinciding with
increased upwelling.
During chick rearing,
adult birds move up to
23.5 km from the nest,
concentrating foraging
within 1 km of the
shore.
The ecological
relationships between
 penguins and their prey
varies depending on the
frequency and strength
of upwelling, making
the population size
unknown and extremely
difficult to estimate.
This is due to the highly
variable strength of
cool, mineral-rich
upwelling water.
Albatros de Procell Dio Phoebastria Endangered This species breeds
Galápagos/ ariifor med irrorata/ annually, arriving at
Waved mes eida Phoebastria colonies in late March
Albatross e irrorata (with males arriving
earlier than females and
older birds earlier than
younger birds), and
laying from mid-April to
late June. Chicks fledge
between late December
and early January. Some
pairs skip breeding in
certain years. The age
of first breeding is at
four to six years of age
or more, but individuals
return to colonies,
typically late in the
season, from two years
of age.
Nesting takes place on
sparsely vegetated
areas with lava
surrounded by boulders
but also, more recently,
in thick scrub
vegetation. It feeds on
squid, fish, and
crustaceans, but
scavenging food items
disgorged by other
species (such as
cetaceans and boobies)
may be an important
feeding strategy.
Petrel de Procell Proc Puffinus subalaris/ Least Concern The Galapagos
Galápagos/ ariifor ellari Puffinus subalaris Shearwater has gray-
Galapagos mes idae brown upperparts and
Shearwater white underparts. The
undewing is white with
gray-brown mottling.
The undertail coverts
 and vent area are black.
The bill is grayish. It
forages in pelagic
waters. It is similar to
the Little Shearwater
but is distinguished by
having white underwing
with gray-brown
mottling and black
undertail coverts and
vent area.
Petrel Procell Proc Pterodroma Critically Endangered It breeds in the humid
patapegada/ ariifor ellari phaeopygia/ highlands at 300-900 m,
Galapagos mes idae Pterodroma in burrows or natural
Petrel phaeopygia cavities, on slopes, in
craters, sinkholes, lava
tunnels and gullies
usually in close
proximity to Miconia
plants. It feeds mostly
on squid, fish and
crustaceans . On San
Cristóbal, nests were
primarily located along
ravines in areas of
dense Miconia
robinsoniana and native
fern cover, with the
majority of egg-laying
taking place between
May and October,
peaking in August.
Golondrina de Procell Hydr Oceanodroma Least Concern This marine species is
mar de ariifor oba castro/ highly pelagic, occurring
Maderina/Ban mes tida Hydrobates castro in warm waters and
d-rumped e rarely approaching land
Storm-petrel except near colonies. It
feeds mostly on
planktonic crustaceans,
fish and squid but will
also feed on human
refuse. It mainly feeds
in the day on the wing
by pattering, dipping
and also by surface-
seizing. Its breeding
season varies locally in
colonies on undisturbed
islets, in flat areas near
the sea or inland on
cliffs.
Golondrina de Procell Hydr Oceanodroma Least Concern Least Concern
mar de ariifor oba This marine species can
Galápagos/ mes tida tethys/ be found over pelagic
Wedge- e Hydrobates tethys waters usually well
rumped Storm- offshore except when
petrel near colonies. It feeds
mostly on small fish,
squid and crustaceans
caught on the wing by
pattering and dipping,
or by surface-seizing
while sitting on the
water. It feeds mainly at
night. During breeding it
forms colonies on cliffs
or lava fields, nesting in
rock crevices or under
vegetation cover.
Golondrina de Procell Hydr Oceanites gracilis / Data Deficient It is numerous in the
mar de Elliot/ ariifor oba Oceanites gracilis eastern Pacific Ocean
White-vented mes tida and presumably breeds
Storm-petrel e on small rocky islets
from Chile north to the
Galápagos. Brood patch
data from Galápagos
birds captured at sea in
2014 confirmed
breeding from May to
September; however,
despite searches using
radio telemetry no
breeding site was
found.
Pájaro Procell Phae Phaethon Least Concern This species is found in
tropical/ Red- ariifor thon aethereus/ tropical and sub-tropical
billed mes tida Phaethon seas and is mostly
Tropicbird e aethereus pelagic. It feeds
primarily on small fish,
especially flying fish, but
will also take squid.
Most prey is caught by
plunge-diving but flying-
fish are sometimes
taken in flight. Breeding
is seasonal in places but
can be more or less
continuous in others. It
is loosely colonial,
nesting in rocky
crevices, or on the
ground on small,
remote oceanic islands
preferentially on cliffs
where take-off is easy.
No regular migration is
 known, although
individuals can undergo
extensive dispersal out
to sea.
Pelicano café/ Procell Pale Pelecanus Least Concern This species inhabits
Brown Pelican ariifor cani accidentales/ shallow inshore waters,
mes dae Pelecanus estuaries and bays,
occidentalis avoiding the open sea.
Its diet is comprised
mostly of fish, causing
great congregations in
areas with abundant
prey. Prey species
include sardines and
anchovies, but has been
seem to take shrimps
and carrion, and even
nestling egrets. It
regularly feeds by
plunge-diving and is
often the victim of
kleptoparasites. The
timing of breeding
varies depending on
latitude, breeding in
spring in the extreme
north of its range
compared to all year
round in the tropics.
Brown Pelicans are
colonial, with some
colonies being
maintained over several
years. It mostly nests on
the ground, sometimes
on cliffs and less often
in small trees or bushes.
Movements and
migrations depend on
local conditions (e.g.
northern populations
migrate south).
Piquero patas Procell Sulid Sula nebouxxi/ Least Concern The Blue-footed Booby
azules/ Blue- ariifor ae Sula nebouxii is strictly marine,
footed Booby mes feeding in adjacent
inshore waters, tending
to exploit cool, rich
waters in areas of
upwelling. It specialises
in catching fish by
plunge-diving, often in
unison. It takes
sardines, achovies and
 mackerel, but also
flying-fish and squid. It
has been seen fishing in
the company of
dolphins and Peruvian
Boobies. Breeding is
seasonal in places and
otherwise
opportunistic, nesting
on cliffs and islets in
areas with little or no
vegetation.
Piquero Procell Sulid Sula granti / Sula Least Concern. Largest pelagic bird of
enmascarado/ ariifor ae granti the Archipelago. It is
Nazca Booby mes completely white
except for the primary
and secondary wings
and tail, which are
black. Around the eyes
and beak they have a
black spot, which gives
them a masked
appearance.
It is found in the Pacific
Ocean from Mexico to
Peru where it feeds on
fish; it breeds on rocky
islands, especially in the
Galapagos.
Piquero patas Procell Sulid Sula sula/ Sula sula Least Concern This species is strictly
rojas/ Red- ariifor ae marine and largely
footed Booby mes pelagic. It feeds mainly
on flying-fish and squid
with a mean prey length
of 8.8 cm. Prey is caught
by plunge-diving, but
flying fish are also taken
in flight, especially
when chased by
underwater predators.
It often rests on boats
using them as vantage
points. Breeding is not
seasonal in most of its
range. Individuals form
large colonies, nesting
and roosting mainly in
trees or on islets with
abundant vegetation.
Comorán no Procell Phae Phalacrocorax Vulnerable One of the endemic
volador/ ariifor thon harrisi/ birds of the Galapagos
flightless mes tida Phalacrocorax archipelago, found only
cormorant e harrisi on Fernandina and
 Isabela islands. It is a
carnivorous species and
its diet is piscivorous. It
has adapted to its
natural habitat and has
developed skills such as
diving to search for food
in the ocean. Its very
short wings do not
allow it to get off the
ground, as most birds
do. It has strong legs
and webbed feet that
allow it to adapt to the
volcanic soil and move
freely in the water.
They can be observed
throughout the year.
Their arrival in the
Galapagos was from the
mainland, located a
thousand kilometers
away. That is, their
ancestors could fly. It is
estimated that they
arrived in the Galapagos
two million years ago
and their ancestors are
South American.
Fregata Procell Freg Fregata Least Concern The Great Frigatebird
común/ Great ariifor atid minor/Fregata breeds on small, remote
Frigatebird mes ae minor tropical and sub-tropical
islands, in mangroves or
bushes and occasionally
on bare ground. Fish,
squid and chicks of
other bird species have
all been identified as
prey . It is frequently
observed attempting to
steal food from other
bird species. However,
this behaviour
represents a minor
source of energy intake,
and individuals are
frequently observed
foraging at the coast or
inland at most breeding
sites.
Fregata real/ Procell Freg Fregata Least Concern The Magnificent
Magnificent ariifor atid magnificens/ Frigatebird often nests
Frigatebird mes ae Fregata in mangroves, but also
 magnificens in bushes and even on
cactus. It can breed on
the ground. Data
reveals it is almost
continuously on the
wing, with morphology
and flight pattern
resulting in extremely
low costs of foraging,
relying on prey driven
to the surface by
underwater predators
such as tuna. Low cost
of flight due to
extensive use of
thermals allows
exploitation of tropical
waters in which prey is
scarce . It feeds mainly
on flying-fish and squid,
but also jellyfish, baby
turtles, seabird eggs
and chicks, offal and fish
scraps.
Gaviota de Chara Larid Creagrus Least Concern. This species feeds
cola bifurcada/ driifor ae furcatus / mostly at night but also
Swallow-tailed mes Creagrus furcatus by day, heavily
Gull exploiting squid at night
but also taking clupeid
fish. It appears to suffer
from periodic food
shortages, and is often
observed feeding 500
km from the nearest
land. It breeds
throughout the year
and asynchronously
across the Galapagos,
with individual
subcolonials being
synchronised by social
interactions. It forms
loose colonies with
large inter-nest
distances but can be
solitary, nesting on
steep slopes or broken
cliffs, often on broad
clifftop ledges but also
just above the wave
line, and on gravelly
beaches and under
vegetation. Adults leave
 the colony after
breeding and become
highly pelagic, returning
in 4-5 months often to
their previous nest site.
Gaviota de Chara Larid Larus fuliginous/ Vulnerable It nests solitarily in
lava/ Lava Gull driifor ae Larus fuliginosus sheltered places near
mes lagoons, pools and
other calm water,
usually close to the sea.
It is a scavenger, with
local concentrations of
birds in areas of high
food availability, such as
harbours, and will
associate with boats.
However, it also takes
seabird eggs, juvenile
marine iguana
Amblyrhynchus
cristatus, small fish and
crustaceans. It nests in
scrapes on sandy
beaches or low
outcrops close to water,
and lays two eggs.
Gaviotín Chara Larid Anous stolidus/ Least Concern Although its migratory
cabeza blanca/ driifor ae Anous stolidus movements are poorly
Brown Noddy mes known and the species
is present all year round
at most tropical
colonies, it is seasonally
absent from subtropical
colonies and is known
to disperse to the open
ocean after breeding.
The timing of breeding
varies throughout the
species's range. It may
breed colonially in
groups numbering up to
100,000 or more pairs,
although it also nests
almost solitarily
depending on the
availability of nesting
sites. Even when not
breeding the species
remains gregarious and
can occur in huge flocks
in some areas, although
it is more usually
observed in smaller
 flocks of 50-100
individuals. The species
occurs around isolated,
bare or vegetated,
pantropical and
subtropical, inshore or
oceanic islands or coral
reefs with rocky cliffs or
offshore stacks and
coral or sand beaches. It
forages in the inshore
waters surrounding
such islands, often
along the line of
breakers or in lagoons,
and disperses up to 50
km out into the pelagic
zone to forage
(especially when not
breeding). Out at sea it
often rests on buoys,
flotsam, ships and on
the open water.
Its diet consists
predominantly of small
fish as well as squid,
pelagic molluscs,
medusae and insects.
Gaviotín Chara Larid Sterna fuscata / Least Concern This species is strongly
negro/ Black driifor ae Chlidonias niger migratory and travels
Tern mes both over land and over
sea. It breeds between
May and June in
colonies, usually of less
than 20 pairs (rarely
more than 100 pairs)
and often close to other
species. After breeding,
it departs for its
wintering grounds from
July onwards, returning
north again from late-
March. The species is
gregarious throughout
the year, foraging in
groups of 2-20 during
the breeding season
and congregating in
large flocks offshore on
passage and in the
winter over shoals of
predatory fish. The
species breeds on fresh
 or brackish wetlands
such as small pools,
lakes, marshes, ditches,
overgrown canals, quiet
reaches of rivers,
swampy meadows, peat
bogs and rice-fields,
showing a preference
for well-vegetated areas
with sparse, open
emergent vegetation
and floating water-lilies,
and with water 1-2 m
deep. It generally avoids
small marshland areas
less than 4 ha in area.
Its breeding diet
consists predominantly
of insects (e.g.
chironomids, Odonata,
Ephemeroptera and
Coleoptera) as well as
small fish and
amphibians (e.g.
tadpoles and frogs);
during the winter, the
species's diet consists
largely of marine fish,
although insects and
crustaceans may also be
taken.
Tero real / Chara Recu Himantopus Least Concern Northern populations of
Black-winged driifor rviro mexicanus/ this species make long-
Stilt mes strid Himantopus distance migratory
ae himantopus movements, travelling
southwards to their
wintering grounds
between August and
November and
returning to their
breeding areas between
March and April . In
more temperate regions
the species is sedentary
or only locally
dispersive however. The
species breeds solitarily
or in loose colonies of 2-
50 or occasionally up to
several hundred pairs. It
is typically a gregarious
species, occurring in
small groups (up to 15
 individuals) or larger
flocks of several
hundred up to a
thousand individuals on
migration, during the
winter and at nightly
roosts.
The species typically
breeds in shallow
freshwater and brackish
wetlands with sand,
mud or clay substrates
and open margins, islets
or spits near water
level. Its diet is strongly
seasonal but generally
includes adult and larval
aquatic insects (e.g.
Coleoptera,
Ephemeroptera,
Trichoptera, Hemiptera,
Odonata, Diptera,
Neuroptera and
Lepidoptera), molluscs,
crustaceans, spiders,
oligochaete and
polychaete worms,
tadpoles and amphibian
spawn , small fish, fish
eggs and occasionally
seeds .
Ostrero / Chara Hae Himantopus Least Concern Large, bulky, black and
American driifor mat palliatus/ white shorebird with a
Oystercatcher mes opo Haematopus thick red bill. Exclusively
dida palliatus coastal. Feeds on
e shellfish and other
invertebrates on the
beach. Gather in flocks
during migration and
winter.
Fuente: Tomado de Obando & Ramírez (2008)
Las anteriores especies, generalmente, se encuentran en las áreas costeras de las islas, siendo su ruta de
migración entre Canadá y Perú, bordeando las costas continentales; ejemplo de esto es el pelicano café y el
petrel de galápagos cuyas rutas migratorias se pueden apreciar en las Figuras _____ y ____; sin embargo, es
posible su avistamiento en mar abierto. Sólo algunas especies como los albatros, algunos piqueros y las
fregatas, entre otros, tienen la capacidad de movilizarse a grandes distancias en mar abierto.

Con respecto a su dinámica poblacional, las investigaciones revisadas evidencia que ésta se ve afectada por
el fenómeno del Niño -el cual genera cambios negativos, cada dos a siete años, con relación a su ciclo de
reproducción y alimentación- (UNESCO, 2016); aunado a lo anterior, su distribución y abundancia se ve
impactada por la pesca incidental, aunque en grado menor -entre 0 (sin interacción) a 1 (menor), de acuerdo
con Ponce, Ayora, y Jurado (2020), quienes estudiaron el albatros de cola corta (P.albatrus) y el albatros de
Galápagos (P.irrorata) con respecto a su interacción con las embarcaciones.
Nombre Especie Estado UICN Habitat and Ecology
Común
Galapagos Spheniscus Endangered With its range located on the equator, the Galápagos
Penguin mendiculus Penguin is the most northerly breeding penguin species.
Nonetheless, its distribution is highly linked to the cool and
nutrient-rich oceanic waters in the western Galápagos
archipelago, that allows for a high density of prey when
upwelling is present . It nests just above sea level and
forages close to shore and at relatively shallow depths.
Galápagos Penguins breed throughout the year, coinciding
with increased upwelling. During chick rearing, adult birds
move up to 23.5 km from the nest, concentrating foraging
within 1 km of the shore.
The ecological relationships between penguins and their
prey varies depending on the frequency and strength of
upwelling, making the population size unknown and
extremely difficult to estimate. This is due to the highly
variable strength of cool, mineral-rich upwelling water.
Waved Phoebastria Endangered This species breeds annually, arriving at colonies in late
Albatross irrorata March (with males arriving earlier than females and older
birds earlier than younger birds), and laying from mid-April
to late June. Chicks fledge between late December and
early January. Some pairs skip breeding in certain years.
The age of first breeding is at four to six years of age or
more, but individuals return to colonies, typically late in
the season, from two years of age.
Nesting takes place on sparsely vegetated areas with lava
surrounded by boulders but also, more recently, in thick
scrub vegetation. It feeds on squid, fish, and crustaceans,
but scavenging food items disgorged by other species (such
as cetaceans and boobies) may be an important feeding
strategy.
Galapagos Puffinus Least The Galapagos Shearwater has gray-brown upperparts and
Shearwater subalaris Concern white underparts. The undewing is white with gray-brown
mottling. The undertail coverts and vent area are black.
The bill is grayish. It forages in pelagic waters. It is similar
to the Little Shearwater but is distinguished by having
white underwing with gray-brown mottling and black
undertail coverts and vent area.
Galapagos Pterodroma Critically It breeds in the humid highlands at 300-900 m, in burrows
Petrel phaeopygia Endangered or natural cavities, on slopes, in craters, sinkholes, lava
tunnels and gullies usually in close proximity to Miconia
plants. It feeds mostly on squid, fish and crustaceans . On
San Cristóbal, nests were primarily located along ravines in
areas of dense Miconia robinsoniana and native fern cover,
with the majority of egg-laying taking place between May
and October, peaking in August.
Band-rumped Hydrobates Least This marine species is highly pelagic, occurring in warm
Storm-petrel castro Concern waters and rarely approaching land except near colonies. It
feeds mostly on planktonic crustaceans, fish and squid but
will also feed on human refuse. It mainly feeds in the day
on the wing by pattering, dipping and also by surface-
seizing. Its breeding season varies locally in colonies on
 undisturbed islets, in flat areas near the sea or inland on
cliffs.
Wedge- Hydrobates Least Least Concern
rumped Storm- tethys Concern This marine species can be found over pelagic waters
petrel usually well offshore except when near colonies. It feeds
mostly on small fish, squid and crustaceans caught on the
wing by pattering and dipping, or by surface-seizing while
sitting on the water. It feeds mainly at night. During
breeding it forms colonies on cliffs or lava fields, nesting in
rock crevices or under vegetation cover.
White-vented Oceanites Data It is numerous in the eastern Pacific Ocean and presumably
Storm-petrel gracilis Deficient breeds on small rocky islets from Chile north to the
Galápagos. Brood patch data from Galápagos birds
captured at sea in 2014 confirmed breeding from May to
September; however, despite searches using radio
telemetry no breeding site was found.
Red-billed Phaethon Least This species is found in tropical and sub-tropical seas and is
Tropicbird aethereus Concern mostly pelagic. It feeds primarily on small fish, especially
flying fish, but will also take squid. Most prey is caught by
plunge-diving but flying-fish are sometimes taken in flight.
Breeding is seasonal in places but can be more or less
continuous in others. It is loosely colonial, nesting in rocky
crevices, or on the ground on small, remote oceanic islands
preferentially on cliffs where take-off is easy. No regular
migration is known, although individuals can undergo
extensive dispersal out to sea.
Brown Pelican Pelecanus Least This species inhabits shallow inshore waters, estuaries and
occidentalis Concern bays, avoiding the open sea. Its diet is comprised mostly of
fish, causing great congregations in areas with abundant
prey. Prey species include sardines and anchovies, but has
been seem to take shrimps and carrion, and even nestling
egrets. It regularly feeds by plunge-diving and is often the
victim of kleptoparasites. The timing of breeding varies
depending on latitude, breeding in spring in the extreme
north of its range compared to all year round in the tropics.
Brown Pelicans are colonial, with some colonies being
maintained over several years. It mostly nests on the
ground, sometimes on cliffs and less often in small trees or
bushes. Movements and migrations depend on local
conditions (e.g. northern populations migrate south).
Blue-footed Sula nebouxii Least The Blue-footed Booby is strictly marine, feeding in
Booby Concern adjacent inshore waters, tending to exploit cool, rich
waters in areas of upwelling. It specialises in catching fish
by plunge-diving, often in unison. It takes sardines,
achovies and mackerel, but also flying-fish and squid. It has
been seen fishing in the company of dolphins and Peruvian
Boobies. Breeding is seasonal in places and otherwise
opportunistic, nesting on cliffs and islets in areas with little
or no vegetation.
Nazca Booby Sula granti Least Largest pelagic bird of the Archipelago. It is completely
Concern. white except for the primary and secondary wings and tail,
which are black. Around the eyes and beak they have a
 black spot, which gives them a masked appearance.
It is found in the Pacific Ocean from Mexico to Peru where
it feeds on fish; it breeds on rocky islands, especially in the
Galapagos.
Red-footed Sula sula Least This species is strictly marine and largely pelagic. It feeds
Booby Concern mainly on flying-fish and squid with a mean prey length of
8.8 cm. Prey is caught by plunge-diving, but flying fish are
also taken in flight, especially when chased by underwater
predators. It often rests on boats using them as vantage
points. Breeding is not seasonal in most of its range.
Individuals form large colonies, nesting and roosting mainly
in trees or on islets with abundant vegetation.
Flightless Phalacrocora Vulnerable One of the endemic birds of the Galapagos archipelago,
cormorant x harrisi found only on Fernandina and Isabela islands. It is a
carnivorous species and its diet is piscivorous. It has
adapted to its natural habitat and has developed skills such
as diving to search for food in the ocean. Its very short
wings do not allow it to get off the ground, as most birds
do. It has strong legs and webbed feet that allow it to
adapt to the volcanic soil and move freely in the water.
They can be observed throughout the year. Their arrival in
the Galapagos was from the mainland, located a thousand
kilometers away. That is, their ancestors could fly. It is
estimated that they arrived in the Galapagos two million
years ago and their ancestors are South American.
Great Fregata Least The Great Frigatebird breeds on small, remote tropical and
Frigatebird minor Concern sub-tropical islands, in mangroves or bushes and
occasionally on bare ground. Fish, squid and chicks of other
bird species have all been identified as prey . It is
frequently observed attempting to steal food from other
bird species. However, this behaviour represents a minor
source of energy intake, and individuals are frequently
observed foraging at the coast or inland at most breeding
sites.
Magnificent Fregata Least The Magnificent Frigatebird often nests in mangroves, but
Frigatebird magnificens Concern also in bushes and even on cactus. It can breed on the
ground. Data reveals it is almost continuously on the wing,
with morphology and flight pattern resulting in extremely
low costs of foraging, relying on prey driven to the surface
by underwater predators such as tuna. Low cost of flight
due to extensive use of thermals allows exploitation of
tropical waters in which prey is scarce . It feeds mainly on
flying-fish and squid, but also jellyfish, baby turtles, seabird
eggs and chicks, offal and fish scraps.
Swallow-tailed Creagrus Least This species feeds mostly at night but also by day, heavily
Gull furcatus Concern. exploiting squid at night but also taking clupeid fish. It
appears to suffer from periodic food shortages, and is
often observed feeding 500 km from the nearest land. It
breeds throughout the year and asynchronously across the
Galapagos, with individual subcolonials being synchronised
by social interactions. It forms loose colonies with large
inter-nest distances but can be solitary, nesting on steep
slopes or broken cliffs, often on broad clifftop ledges but
 also just above the wave line, and on gravelly beaches and
under vegetation. Adults leave the colony after breeding
and become highly pelagic, returning in 4-5 months often
to their previous nest site.
Lava Gull Larus Vulnerable It nests solitarily in sheltered places near lagoons, pools
fuliginosus and other calm water, usually close to the sea. It is a
scavenger, with local concentrations of birds in areas of
high food availability, such as harbours, and will associate
with boats. However, it also takes seabird eggs, juvenile
marine iguana Amblyrhynchus cristatus, small fish and
crustaceans. It nests in scrapes on sandy beaches or low
outcrops close to water, and lays two eggs.
Brown Noddy Anous Least Although its migratory movements are poorly known and
stolidus Concern the species is present all year round at most tropical
colonies, it is seasonally absent from subtropical colonies
and is known to disperse to the open ocean after breeding.
The timing of breeding varies throughout the species's
range. It may breed colonially in groups numbering up to
100,000 or more pairs, although it also nests almost
solitarily depending on the availability of nesting sites.
Even when not breeding the species remains gregarious
and can occur in huge flocks in some areas, although it is
more usually observed in smaller flocks of 50-100
individuals. The species occurs around isolated, bare or
vegetated, pantropical and subtropical, inshore or oceanic
islands or coral reefs with rocky cliffs or offshore stacks and
coral or sand beaches. It forages in the inshore waters
surrounding such islands, often along the line of breakers
or in lagoons, and disperses up to 50 km out into the
pelagic zone to forage (especially when not breeding). Out
at sea it often rests on buoys, flotsam, ships and on the
open water.
Its diet consists predominantly of small fish as well as
squid, pelagic molluscs, medusae and insects.
Black Tern Chlidonias Least This species is strongly migratory and travels both over
niger Concern land and over sea. It breeds between May and June in
colonies, usually of less than 20 pairs (rarely more than 100
pairs) and often close to other species. After breeding, it
departs for its wintering grounds from July onwards,
returning north again from late-March. The species is
gregarious throughout the year, foraging in groups of 2-20
during the breeding season and congregating in large flocks
offshore on passage and in the winter over shoals of
predatory fish. The species breeds on fresh or brackish
wetlands such as small pools, lakes, marshes, ditches,
overgrown canals, quiet reaches of rivers, swampy
meadows, peat bogs and rice-fields, showing a preference
for well-vegetated areas with sparse, open emergent
vegetation and floating water-lilies, and with water 1-2 m
deep. It generally avoids small marshland areas less than 4
ha in area.
Its breeding diet consists predominantly of insects (e.g.
chironomids, Odonata, Ephemeroptera and Coleoptera) as
 well as small fish and amphibians (e.g. tadpoles and frogs);
during the winter, the species's diet consists largely of
marine fish, although insects and crustaceans may also be
taken.
Black-winged Himantopus Least Northern populations of this species make long-distance
Stilt himantopus Concern migratory movements, travelling southwards to their
wintering grounds between August and November and
returning to their breeding areas between March and
April . In more temperate regions the species is sedentary
or only locally dispersive however. The species breeds
solitarily or in loose colonies of 2-50 or occasionally up to
several hundred pairs. It is typically a gregarious species,
occurring in small groups (up to 15 individuals) or larger
flocks of several hundred up to a thousand individuals on
migration, during the winter and at nightly roosts.
The species typically breeds in shallow freshwater and
brackish wetlands with sand, mud or clay substrates and
open margins, islets or spits near water level. Its diet is
strongly seasonal but generally includes adult and larval
aquatic insects (e.g. Coleoptera, Ephemeroptera,
Trichoptera, Hemiptera, Odonata, Diptera, Neuroptera and
Lepidoptera), molluscs, crustaceans, spiders, oligochaete
and polychaete worms, tadpoles and amphibian spawn ,
small fish, fish eggs and occasionally seeds .
Oystercatcher Haematopus Least Large, bulky, black and white shorebird with a thick red bill.
palliatus Concern Exclusively coastal. Feeds on shellfish and other
invertebrates on the beach. Gather in flocks during
migration and winter.