Last year, the return to Floreana Island in the Galápagos of birds not seen for almost 200 years marked a historic milestone for conservation.
In particular, the Galápagos rail (Laterallus spilonota) surprised with its appearance, as the species was considered locally extinct since 1835.
However, after a conservation strategy that involved the elimination of invasive predators, the bird reappeared surprisingly on Floreana.
The mythical naturalist Charles Darwin was the last person to record a sighting of this bird on Floreana during his visit in 1835.
Now, almost 200 years later, conservationists observed the shy rail walking once again on the island.
“The Galápagos rail was something I did not expect at all,” said Paula Castaño, a wildlife veterinarian from Island Conservation.
The specialist noted that the bird “simply appeared” on Floreana, possibly as part of a small population that remained hidden for decades.
The key to eradicating invasive species
At the end of 2023, feral rats and cats were eradicated from Floreana as part of a native ecosystem restoration project.
This operation, which included the application of poison from airplanes and by hand, radically transformed the environment.
Thanks to this, the return of birds to the island was not limited to the rail. In 2025, counts revealed significant increases in the populations of:
- Galápagos doves;
- Lava lizards;
- Geckos;
- Dark-billed cuckoo;
However, “the most exciting discovery was the rediscovery of the Galápagos rail,” declared Birgit Fessl, a researcher at the Charles Darwin Foundation.
This bird, also known as burrito, polluela, or pachay of Galápagos, “had not been recorded on Floreana for centuries; the only historical evidence was a specimen collected by Darwin.”
In contrast, in the past, the Galápagos rail was found in almost all vegetation zones, but today they are only seen in the highlands of the main islands.
Until the return of this bird to Floreana in 2025, it was presumed extinct on the island due to invasive species.
The finches, an example of the return of the birds’ “creativity”
The return of the birds to a safer environment in the Galápagos also allows for observing unexpected changes in their behavior.
For example, the young Darwin’s finches began experimenting with completely new melodies, as documented by Sonia Kleindorfer, a biologist at the University of Vienna.
For 20 years, Kleindorfer’s team recorded 8000 finch songs, all within a limited repertoire.
This year, however, the young finches surprised as they began skipping syllables and creating new buzzes never heard before.
“When predators roamed the island, the finches tended to sing all the same songs,” explained Kleindorfer, so sounding different represented a huge cost because it made them more visible to predators.
“Now, in a safe environment, we are experiencing a cultural revolution,” added the scientist about the return of the “creativity” of these birds.
Thanks to this initiative, the bold finches no longer die as before, allowing for vocal experimentation without fatal consequences.
An ecosystem in recovery
The conservation project, led by the Galápagos National Park Directorate, plans to reintroduce 12 species that existed on Floreana in Darwin’s time.
Among them are several birds and giant tortoises that will be transferred from breeding programs.
The return of birds and other animals demonstrates the ecosystems’ recovery capacity when threats are removed.
“This island demonstrates the resilience of species: after 200 years, a species is seen again,” concluded Paola Sangolquí, a marine biologist from the Jocotoco Foundation.
Now, a second round of rodent eradication is planned for the end of 2026, with the aim of consolidating the transformation of the Floreana ecosystem and seeing more bird returns.
