Galápagos Flycatcher: Facts and Where to See It

The Galápagos flycatcher is described as extremely tame and inquisitive. It often perches within 2 metres of people while scanning for prey, sometimes flies into buildings to catch insects, and has been known to land on a person's shoulder and try to pull hair, possibly for its nest.

• Look. Grey-brown to olive-brown above, with a small crest, two pale wing bars, a grey throat and a sulphur-yellow belly.
• Bill. Thick, dark brown to black, with a pinkish base to the lower half.
• Hunting. It usually forages in pairs within about 3 metres of the ground, picking prey and fruit while briefly hovering.

Galápagos flycatchers live in every vegetated habitat of their islands, from sea level to at least 1,000 metres, most numerous in the moister lowlands. They nest in cavities: holes in trees and cactus, and even in concrete power poles, lining the nest with plants, hair and feathers. Breeding peaks in the warm wet season from December to May. BirdLife lists dry shrubland as the main habitat.

Guide sighting records list flycatchers at 2 sites: Tagus Cove on Isabela and Punta Cormorant on Floreana, both rated Rare. Because the species lives on most islands and is curious, it may turn up on many other landings too.

Flycatchers are present all year and breed mostly from December to May. In the next twelve months, 579 departures stop at a site where they are recorded.

No, it is listed as Least Concern, but BirdLife suspects a decline due to ongoing habitat degradation and possibly introduced mammals. Its total population has not been counted; it is described as fairly common.

1. Reaching out to a curious bird. Let it come and go; park rules ask for 2 metres of distance.
2. Offering food. Feeding wildlife is not allowed.
3. Looking on Genovesa. It does not live on Genovesa, Darwin or Wolf.