Galápagos Rail Spotted on Floreana Island for the First Time in 190 Years
Nearly two centuries after Charles Darwin first recorded the elusive Galápagos rail (Laterallus spilonota) on Floreana Island in 1835, scientists have confirmed its return — a thrilling milestone in one of the world’s most famous biodiversity hotspots.
The small, ground-dwelling bird had not been observed on Floreana for 190 years, largely due to invasive species that ravaged native wildlife. But recent conservation efforts are reversing that damage.
Launched just two years ago, the Floreana Island Restoration Project aims to remove invasive predators and restore native habitats. The Galápagos rail, known locally as Pachay, is among the first species to respond. Vulnerable to predators and dependent on dense vegetation, the rail’s return signals that the ecosystem is healing.
During their latest landbird survey, teams from the Charles Darwin Foundation and Ecuador’s Galápagos National Park Directorate confirmed the rail’s presence at three separate sites, away from human settlements. Researchers recorded six acoustic signals, two visual sightings, and one photograph of the birds in grassy areas shaded by guava trees — marking the first confirmed presence since Darwin’s time.
“The rediscovery of the Galápagos rail confirms what we’ve seen on islands worldwide — remove invasive threats, and native species can recover in remarkable ways,” said Paula Castaño, Conservation Impact Program Manager at Island Conservation.
The rails have previously shown resilience. After Island Conservation removed invasive species from nearby Pinzón Island, rails and other locally extinct species, like the cactus finch, naturally returned.
Now, scientists aim to determine whether Floreana’s rails are a newly self-reintroduced group or a remnant population that survived undetected for generations. Genetic analysis will provide answers.
Similar surprises have occurred before: following restoration on Rábida Island, a gecko species thought known only from ancient subfossils was rediscovered.
With the Galápagos rail reestablishing itself, hope grows for a full revival of Floreana’s native species.
“This is an incredible win for Floreana,” said Castaño, “and it fuels our excitement about what other ‘extinct’ species might be waiting to return as the island continues to recover.”