The Galapagos Rail Reemerges on Floreana Island: A Historic Rediscovery

24 Mar 2025
After nearly 190 years, the elusive Galapagos Rail has been spotted once again on Floreana Island, the sixth largest island in the Galápagos, a thrilling confirmation that our ecological restoration is bringing life back to this unique ecosystem. This extraordinary rediscovery is a major success for rewilding Floreana, a visionary collaboration, led by the Galápagos National Park, the Galápagos Biosecurity Agency, and co-executed by Jocotoco and Island Conservation, to remove introduced invasive predators and bring back 12 endemic species that disappeared from the island generations ago. The Galapagos Rail is the first of those 12 species to return on its own to Floreana.   

 

In 1835, during a historic voyage to the Galápagos Islands, Charles Darwin documented the Galapagos Rail (Laterallus spilonota) on Floreana. With its dark gray plumage, brown back, and penetrating red eyes, this endemic bird of the archipelago moved through the dense vegetation, hiding in tall grass and thick shrubs. It emitted a variety of vocalizations, including clicks, squeaks, and long rattles that made it recognizable. But its fate would change dramatically in the years to come. 

The introduction of invasive species, like rats, changed Floreana's fragile ecosystem forever. By the mid-20th century, the Galapagos Rail was considered extinct on Floreana. Despite several extensive studies, including one in 1987 with playback at 150 locations, the species never responded. There were no sightings, no tracks, and not a single call to break the island's silence. Over time, the idea of its local extinction became a certainty for many.

Just last month, researchers from the Galápagos National Park Directorate, the Charles Darwin Foundation, and Jocotoco confirmed the presence of the Galapagos Rail on Floreana, the first sighting since Darwin's own sightings. The team recorded six distinctive acoustic calls and made two visual sightings. There are multiple individuals on Floreana, and they are breeding!

"This is an incredible rediscovery," says Birgit Fessl, senior scientist for the Charles Darwin Foundation's Land Bird Conservation Program. "There are two possible explanations: either the species has recolonized the island, or it never really disappeared, but went undetected due to an extremely low population."

The return of this species to Floreana is no coincidence. For Víctor Carrión, our island restoration coordinator, the impact is undeniable. We began removing rodents and other invasive predators on the Floreana in late 2023: "The removal of invasive species marks a turning point for Floreana's biodiversity. Thanks to the eradication efforts, the pressure on native wildlife has decreased. Now the Galapagos Rail has a new chance not only to survive, but to thrive."

The next step will be genetic analysis of the rediscovered population to determine whether these individuals have recently recolonized the island or are the long-hidden survivors of a population that had never been detected. Either way, removing invasive predators makes Floreana safe for the rail once again. 

This rediscovery not only rewrites the history of this species but also brings new hope to the ongoing ecological restoration efforts in the Galápagos Islands. After nearly two centuries of uncertainty, this bird reminds us that nature heals when we give it a chance.

Our efforts to rewild Floreana are still underway. We have to remove the remaining invasive predators, then reintroduce endemic wildlife, including the Floreana Giant Tortoise, several species of Darwin's finches, and the Floreana Mockingbird, among others. You can help protect the Galapagos Rail's home and rewild Floreana by donating here today!

The Floreana Island Restoration Project is led by the Galápagos National Park, the Galápagos Biosecurity Agency, and co-executed by Jocotoco and Island Conservation, with technical and scientific support from other national and international institutions.