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The Galapagos Avifauna

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The Galapagos Avifauna THE GALAPAGOS AVIFAUNA M. P. HARRIS Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology Oxford University and Charles Darwin Research Station Gakpagos, Ecuador The last review of the birds of the Galhpagos Haematopus ostralegus ( H. palliatus) , Himan- archipelago was made by Swarth (1931) al- topus himantopus (H. mexicanus), Tyto alba though L&&que et al. (1966) summarized the (T. punctatissima), Asio flammeus (A. gala- migrants on and near the islands. Several pagoensis), Pyrocephalus rubinus ( P. nanus authors (Brosset 1963; Curio and Kramer 1964; and P. dubius). The nomenclature and se- Harris 1968, 1969a,b,c,d, 1970a,b; L&$que quence of the migrants follows that used by 1963,1964; Nelson 1968; Snow and Snow 1969) LBv&que et al. (1966). Overall, the order of have published distribution maps and/or species is very close to that of the 1957 edition counts of several species of resident birds but of the A.O.U. Checklist of North American the status of the birds needs to be looked at as Birds. a whole to determine recent changes, due The naming of the islands is as much a either to man or other factors or to gaps in our problem as naming the birds (see Bowman knowledge. This paper attempts to document 1960). Most islands have several names, En- the past and present status of all the birds glish and Spanish. I hope that this summary known to have occurred within the islands or will be useful to field workers, therefore I have in the seas immediately surrounding them, and used the names now in common usage, but to suggest some possible reasons for the dis- give below a list of alternatives. The official tributions of the land birds, Only a handful Spanish name is italicized. The relative loca- of wader species, Heteroscelus incanus, Nu- tion of each island is shown in figure 1. menius phaeopus, Arenaria interpres, Charad- rius semipalmatus, and Lobipes lobatus can be Main Islands considered to use the GaKpagos as regular Name in common use Alternatives wintering grounds. Migrants are not discussed Isahela Albemarle in detail (though all records known to me by Fernanclina Narborough James Santiago, Salvador 1 January 1973 are given) because of the lervis Rdhida review cited above. For general information Duncan Pinzon’ on the islands and the flora, the reader is Santa Crux Indefatigable referred to the accounts of Thornton (1971) San Cristdhal Chathan; Barrington Santa Fe ’ and Wiggins and Porter ( 1971) , respectively. Hood Espafiokz Floreana Santa Maria, Charles NOMENCLATURE Tower Genovesa Marchena Bindloe For the names of the resident species, I have Pinta Abingdon used Swarth (1931) as a basis but there have Culpepper Darwin been many generic changes since this time. Wenman Wolf I have incorporated the modifications sug- Minor Islands (where different) gested by Lack (1945, 1947, 1969a) for the Seymour North Seymour Geospizinae (Darwins’ Finches) as well as a Baltra South Seymour few other published opinions. Tortuga Brattle Inconsistencies are inevitable but no attempt Crossman Islands Los Hermanos is made to discuss the taxonomic status of SPECIES LIST species. Taxonomy is used here solely as a convenient “pigeon-holeing” system for nam- A general statement is made of the status of ing birds. Changes involving the specific each species, followed, where appropriate, by name have been made in the following species remarks on its status on each of the main (with Swarths’ nomenclature in parentheses ) : islands. Except where explicitly mentioned, Puffinus lherminieri (P. obscurus), Sula sula Seymour and Baltra are included with Santa ( S. piscator), Casmerodius albus ( C. egretta) , Cruz, Gardner-near-Hood with Hood, and the [2651 The Condor 75:265-278, 1973 266 M. P. HARRIS 0 CULPEPPER 0 WENMAN I 50MILES I I 0 PINTA OTOWER R°CA REDONDA 1 MARCHENA ------------w-_-e_________________ EQUATOR -----me_ -------____ CALETA PTA. MANGLE TORTLJGA I- WRECK BAY VILLAMIL PT?_ CORMORANT I/ CHAMPION c-2./GARDNER GARDNER FLOREANA -PTA. CEVALLOS / HOOD f%. SUAREZ FIGURE 1. Map of Galapagos Archipelago showing places mentioned in the text. various offshore islands of Floreana with Flo- names in the acknowledgments; my own reana, partly because we have relatively little records are designated (MH). For the sake information on the smaller islands and also of brevity, the sources of older records con- because it seems that many of the birds (ex- sidered by Swarth (1931) and Lkveque et al. cluding mockingbirds) from the small islands (1966) are omitted. Where recent specimens travel regularly to and fro from the main are available, I have designated their location islands. The other small islands are not men- as follows: Charles Darwin Research Station tioned in detail as observations are very sparse. ( CDRS ) , California Academy of Sciences Current ornithology in the islands is based (CAS ), and American Museum of Natural on the living birds, so that there are, in most History ( AMNH) . cases, no specimens to support recent records. Spheniscus men&c&s. Galapagos Penguin. En- For the most important sight records, the demic. Breeds in suitabIe areas around the coasts of initials of the observer(s) are given in paren- Fernandina and western Isabela (from just north of Cape Berkeley to southwestern tip ). Nonbreeding theses after the record. Identification of any birds, especially immatures, are sometimes seen else- set of initials can be made by comparison with where on Isabela, James, Santa Cruz, and Floreana. THE GALAPAGOS AVIFAUNA 267 Birds have been recorded displaying on Santa Cruz islands and cliffs of some larger islands throughout the and James but there is no evidence of breeding. Rare archipelago. Rarely recorded at sea. elsewhere but has been recorded on Tervis, Duncan, Oceanodroma tethus. Wedge-rumned Storm Petrel. and Hood. Total population probably in region‘ of Resident Nests on Tower lci 200,600 pairs (Harris 3-5000 birds (DB, MH). 1969a)l, Isla Pitt, and almost certainly on Rota Podilymbus podiceps. Pied-billed Grebe. Recorded Redonda. Common at sea. three times in mangrove lagoons at Academy Bay Oceanodroma markhami. Sootv Storm Petrel. Soec- ( Santa Cruz) : March lQ60;~ 15-19 ’ December- 1961; imen collected off Fernandina, I2 July 1925. _ 13 Tanuarv-6 Februarv 1966 I MC. MH ). Fregetta grallaria. White-bellied Storm Petrel. i)iomedea irrorata. ’ Waved Albatross. Endemic. Specimen collected SE of Isabela, 11 June 1906 and Breeds on the southern slopes and coasts and the a sight record. 17 Tulv 1948. N of Pinta. extreme eastern tip of Hood. In 1970-71, the popula- Pilecanus &c&n&is. Brown Pelican. Resident. tion was estimated at 12,000 pairs, far higher than Breeds commonly on all the central islands and has previous, but incomplete counts (Brosset 1963; L&v&- also bred on Hood and Marchena. Uncommon visitor que 19164). Common at sea throughout the archi- to Tower and Pinta; single record of two adults and pelago except January to March when birds migrate an immature on Wenman, 23 February 1962, ( RL ). to waters off Ecuador and Peru. An albatross seen off Unrecorded from Culpepper. Pinta, 17 July 1948, was probably D. exuluns or D. Sulk sula. Red-footed Booby. Resident. Breeds on epomophora. Tower [ca. 140,QOO pairs (Nelson 196S)J, Wenman, Daption capense. Cape Pigeon. Recorded 23 Octo- Culpepper, Gardner-near-Floreana, Punta and Isla ber 1961 and 7 October 19165 (MC) but for July- Pitt ( San Cristobal). Sometimes seen ashore in trees November lQ72 there is a total of 13 records, includ- where it does not breed, e.g., Seymour, Punta Cevallos ing corpses washed ashore on Santa Cruz and Isabela (Hood), and Rota Redonda. (DD, JG, TR, MH). Sea conditions during the latter Sula dactulatru. Masked Boobv. Resident. Com- part of 1972 were atypical (high sea water tempera- mon breeding species throughout the archipelago. tures) and many unusual records occurred at this Often roosts on islands and rocks where it does not time. breed. Puffinus pacificus. Wedge-tailed Shearwater. Bird Sula nebouxii. Blue-footed Booby. Very common found eaten by Asio fkzmmeus on Plaza, 19 September resident. Breeds on most islands except those north 19866 (MH; specimen CDRS ). The species is not of the equator (but has bred on Tower). Often roosts uncommon between Galapagos and Panama. where it does not nest. Puffinus griseus. Sooty Shearwater. Dead bird Nannopterum harrisi. Flightless Cormorant. En- washed ashore at Punta Tortuga (Isabela), 16 August demic. Breeds on sheltered rocks and beaches on 1971 (MH; specimen CDRS) and a live bird ashore Fernandina and Isabela (except south coast from at Villamil 14 January 1972 (JG). Six sightings May- Punta Garcia to Punta Moreno). Total population June 1972 ( BJ, RT, DD ) . 1970-71 about 800 pairs (MH). Unrecorded outside Puffinus carneipes. Pink-footed Shearwater. A live the breeding range. bird ashore at Villamil (Isabela), 15 January 1972 Fregata mugnificens. Magnificent Frigatebird. Res- (JG) and sight records off Duncan (one bird) and ident. Main breeding colonies on Seymour, Gardner- off Punta Albemarle (three), 2& October and 22 near-Floreana, near Punta Moreno ( Isabela), Wreck November 1972, respectively (MH) . Bay, and Kicker Rock (San Cristobal). A few pairs Puffinus lherminieri. Audubons’ Shearwater. Resi- breed on Daphne Minor and in colonies of F. minor dent. Nests on cliffs throughout the archipelago. on Wenman, Tower, Tortuga Island, and Punta Pitt Procellaria parkinsoni. Parkinsons’ Petrel. Single ( San Cristobal). birds shot off San Cristbbal, 14 October 1905; off Fregata minor. Great Frigatebird. Resident. Main Floreana, 4 May 1906; and well south of Isabela 18 breeding colonies on Hood, Gardner-near-Floreana, June 1906, the only records for this area of the Pacific. Tortuga Island; also on Crossmans, Isla and Punta Pterodroma phaeopygia. Dark-rumped Petrel. Fairly Pitt (San Cristobal), Tower, Culpepper, and Wen- common resident. Breeds in the humid and thickly man.
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