Galápagos Rail sighted for the first time since Charles Darwin’s 1835 visit
Floreana Island, Galápagos — May 8, 2025 — In a moment of ecological triumph, a rare and elusive bird once recorded by Charles Darwin has made a remarkable return to Floreana Island, Ecuador — nearly 190 years after it was last seen in the wild there.
The bird, known as the Galápagos rail (Laterallus spilonota), was observed and documented by Darwin in 1835 during his historic voyage aboard the HMS Beagle. This small, secretive, ground-dwelling bird, endemic to the Galápagos archipelago, had long been absent from Floreana due to the devastating impact of invasive species such as rats, cats, and goats that were introduced over the past two centuries.
Its reappearance is directly linked to the ongoing Floreana Island Restoration Project, launched two years ago by a coalition of conservation organizations including Island Conservation, the Charles Darwin Foundation, and the Galápagos National Park Directorate. The project aims to restore the island’s natural habitat by eliminating invasive species and reintroducing native flora and fauna.
During the most recent annual landbird monitoring expedition, researchers recorded the Galápagos rail in three separate locations across Floreana Island. These sightings included six acoustic detections, two visual confirmations, and one photograph, all within grassland habitats shaded by native guava trees — far from human settlements and agricultural zones.
“This is not a chance encounter,” said a spokesperson from the Charles Darwin Foundation. “We’ve been monitoring these areas for nearly a decade, and this is the first confirmed return of the Galápagos rail to Floreana. It’s a sign that the ecosystem is healing.”
The Galápagos rail is a particularly vulnerable species due to its terrestrial lifestyle and need for dense, undisturbed vegetation. Although it is flightless and often elusive, it is known for its resilience. Following the successful removal of invasive species from nearby Pinzón Island in 2012, rails were among the first animals to naturally recolonize — alongside the cactus finch and other locally extinct species.
Locally referred to as “Pachays,” the birds have become symbols of hope in the archipelago’s broader conservation efforts. Experts believe that with continued habitat protection, the rails may permanently re-establish themselves on Floreana and potentially other islands where they once thrived.
The return of the Galápagos rail serves as a powerful testament to what focused, science-based conservation can achieve. As the ecosystem rebounds, conservationists are hopeful that other endangered species may follow the rail’s lead — bringing biodiversity back to one of the world’s most iconic natural habitats.
