Galapagos Islands - Birds - Ecuador
The Galapagos Islands are home to some of the highest levels of endemism (species found nowhere else on Earth). Of the 56 native (arrived naturally) bird species of Galapagos, 45 (80%) are endemic and 11 are indigenous (native to Galapagos but also found elsewhere). In addition to the native birds, there are 29 migratory species. Of the 29 resident land birds in the Galapagos, 22 are endemic at the level of species. Thirteen of the 22 endemic species are known collectively as Darwin’s finches. There are only six endemic species among the seabirds. All these images are during 17 February days.
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Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) - It has brown upperparts with white below and a single, dark breast band. The breast band, sides of head, and forecrown are black in breeding adults, and brown in non-breeding adults and juveniles. They also have a short, black-tipped, orange bill - orange to yellowish legs and feet. This non-breeding specimen, in the early morning sunlight atop the volcanic rock shoreline - (western) Isla Santiago.
