About the Galapagos Islands

Year Round Galapagos "Happenings"

January

- Warm marine currents arrive.
- Land birds start nesting.
- On Española the adult male marine iguanas become brightly colored.
- The green sea turtle arrives to the beaches of Galapagos to lay their eggs.
- Land iguanas begin reproductive cycles on Isabela.
- Water and air temperatures rise and stay warm until June.
- Ideal time for snorkeling.

February

- On Floreana flamingos start nesting.
- White-cheeked pintails start their breeding season.
- Masked boobies on Española are at the end of their nesting season.
- Marine iguanas nest on Santa Cruz.
- Highest water temperature reaches 77°F and remains until April.
- Galapagos dove’s nesting season reaches its peak.

March

- Water temperature reaches its max.
- Sporadic tropical rains and intense sun. Air temperature can reach up to 86°F.
- Marine iguanas nest in Fernandina.
- March 21, the summer equinox signals begin. The waved albatross arrive to Española.

April

- Massive arrival of waved albatross to Española. Their courtship starts.
- Hatching season ends for giant tortoises.
- Green sea turtles’ eggs begin to hatch.
- Land iguanas hatch on Isabela.

May

- North Seymour’s blue-footed boobies begin their courtship.
- Sea turtles are still hatching on Gardner Bay, Punta Cormorant and Puerto Egas.
- Most of the marine iguanas’ eggs hatch from nests on Santa Cruz.
- Palo Santo trees begin to shed their foliage.
- Albatross on Española start laying their eggs.
- Band rumped storm petrels begin their first nesting period.

June

- Beginning of the dry season.
- Giant tortoises migrate from highlands to lowlands for suitable nesting places.
- Beginning of the nesting season of giant tortoises.

July

- Sea birds are active, especially blue- footed boobies on Española.
- Flightless cormorants court and nest on Fernandina.
- It’s possible to find oystercatchers nesting on Puerto Egas, Santiago.
- Lava lizards initiate mating rituals until November.
- Whales are more likely to be observed, especially off the Western coast of Isabela.

August

- The Galapagos hawks court on Española and Santiago.
- Masked boobies and swallow tailed gulls nest on Genovesa.
- Temperature of the ocean descends to 64°F, which obviously varies according to the geographic zones among the islands.
- Migrant shore birds start to arrive, and stay on the islands until March.
- Giant tortoises return to the highlands of Santa Cruz.

September

- Peak of the dry season.
- The air temperature reaches its lowest - 66°F.
- Penguins demonstrate remarkable activity on Bartolomé until December.
- Sea lions are very active, especially in the western and central areas of the Archipelago.
- Most species of marine birds remain active at their nesting sites.

October

- Lava herons nest until March.
- The Galapagos fur seal begin their mating period.
- Boobies raise their chicks on Española.
- Giant tortoises still lay their eggs.

November

- Sea lion pups are born.
- Sea lions are sexually active on the Eastern part of the Archipelago.
- Breeding season of brown noddies.
- Band rumped storm petrels begin their second nesting period.

December

- Hatching of the giant tortoise’s eggs begins and lasts until April.
- Green sea turtles display their mating behavior.
- The warm season begins and all of the plants of the dry zone produce leaves.
- Galapagos “turns green”. The first young albatross fled.