Galapagos Short-eared Owl by Wildlife Travel is licensed by CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
While the Galapagos Islands are famous for their diverse and abundant birdlife, many people don’t associate the archipelago with owls. In fact, there are two endemic subspecies of owls endemic to the islands, the Galapagos barn owl (Tyto alba punctatissima) and the Galapagos short-eared owl (Asio flammeus galapagoensis). The latter, pictured above, can be found on Isabela, Santa Cruz, Fernandida, , Santiago, San Cristobal, Floreana, Marchena, Española, Pinta, Santa Fe,Pinzon, Tower, and Darwin. They are sometimes seen near wide, open lava fields searching for prey, which includes a variety of small birds such as petrels. Short-eared owls are among the few owls that hunt in broad daylight. They are proficient predators and impressive flyers. Males perform dramatic aerial displays, accompanied by wing clapping, to impress potential mates. Males sometimes offer females food to win them over. Classy move!
