About Us
Our Safari Camp, roamed by wild giant tortoises and bordering the Galapagos National Park, is small by design and exclusive by definition. We design tailor-made safaris to meet incredible Galapagos wildlife.
Swallow-tailed Gull (Creagrus furcatus)
The Swallow-tailed Gull is one of the most remarkable seabirds of the Galapagos in that it is the only nocturnal gull in the world. Elegant and distinctive, it measures around 50 centimetres in length with a wingspan just over a metre.
Adults have a smooth grey back, white underparts, and a neatly forked tail. During the breeding season, their head turns black and a vivid orange-red ring encircles the eye.
Unlike other gulls, Swallow-tailed Gulls spend their nights at sea. Around dusk, most take off from their nesting sites and fly 15 to 30 kilometres offshore to feed, returning at dawn. This nocturnal habit may help them avoid competition from larger, more aggressive daytime feeders such as boobies, frigatebirds, and albatrosses, or it may be an adaptation to the behaviour of their prey.
Their diet consists mainly of small squid and fish that rise to the ocean’s surface under cover of darkness, especially during a full moon when bioluminescent creatures are most active.
Their large, dark eyes are adapted for excellent night vision, and the distinctive orange-red ring exposes more of the eyeball, improving their ability to detect movement in low light.
When feeding their chicks, a white spot near the base of the bill helps the young locate food, while the chicks’ white plumage—the only white chicks among gulls—may help parents recognise them in the dark.
Swallow-tailed gulls nest in small colonies on rocky ledges and beaches throughout the archipelago, often rearing a single chick. Courtship is a lively affair, involving “butterfly flights,” head-tossing displays, and the male offering food to the female.
Both parents share incubation duties for about a month and continue feeding their fledged young for several weeks afterwards.
There are thought to be only 2,000 to 3,000 pairs across the Galapagos, making them relatively uncommon despite their wide distribution. During the non-breeding season, many migrate eastward to the coastal waters of Ecuador and Peru.
Where to See Them
Swallow-tailed Gulls can be found throughout the Galapagos Islands. On our Safaris, some of the best places to observe them include North Seymour, South Plaza and Bachas Beach on Santa Cruz which we visit as part of our experiential Fishing Experience (see Family Safari)
