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Galapagos Martin

Galapagos Martin

Hear the remarkable calls from our only resident swallow

What you need to know about the Galapagos Martin

This black bird is the only resident member of the swallow family in the entire Galápagos.

The Martin has the incredible ability to feed on fast-flying insects which it catches while in flight. It’s during feeding like this that it’s usually easier to spot the male birds as they are noticeably more striking than their female partners. Listen out for the delightful variety of calls the Martin makes, from warblings to twittering to high pitched alarms. Your Galapatours naturalist guide will help you to identify the calls these and other species make during your excursions on your Galápagos cruise.

Martins can be seen both in the highlands and coastal areas. The best chance to see one of these birds is at Tagus Cove, Punta Moreno and Sierra Negra volcano on Isabela island.

This stunning bird has had very little research carried out on it, and therefore limited information is available about its population size. However, the Martin sadly has been categorized as endangered, with a population not exceeding 500 birds.

Galapagos Martin: Interesting facts

Their flight pattern is a quick wing-beat followed by a glide

Endemic to the Galápagos

An endangered species, there are thought to be fewer than 500 left

Very vocal birds, with a delightful range of sounds including chirps and squeaks

Galapagos Martin: Pictures from our travelers

Galapagos Martin
Galapagos Martin
Galapagos Martin

Spots where the Galapagos Martin can be observed

Our trips to spot the Galapagos Martin


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