Species Guide

Species Guide

Andean cock-of-the-rock

Rupicola peruvianus

Andean cock-of-the-rock Rupicola peruvianus

In the cloud forests of the Andes, the Andean cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruvianus) turns courtship into a spectacle. Males gather at leks, where they jump, call, and display their intense red or orange plumage to attract females. A fruit-eater and important seed disperser, this unmistakably crested bird is one of the most striking inhabitants of Ecuador’s humid montane forests.

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Andean condor

Vultur gryphus

Andean condor Vultur gryphus

Above the páramo, the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) dominates the sky with wings that can span more than three meters. It can soar for hours on rising air currents and travel vast distances in search of food. In Ecuador, it is a symbol of the Andes and of our national identity, but also a threatened species whose presence reminds us how fragile the mountains it depends on truly are.

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Blue-footed booby

Sula nebouxii

Blue-footed booby Sula nebouxii

Some birds fly, while others seem to fall from the sky. The blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) plunges into the ocean to catch fish, then returns to land displaying feet of an almost impossible blue. That color, linked to diet and physical condition, also plays a role in courtship. In Galápagos, its clumsy walk contrasts with the remarkable precision of a hunter made for the sea.

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Blue Morpho butterfly

Morpho peleides

Blue Morpho butterfly Morpho peleides

In tropical forests, the blue Morpho butterfly (Morpho peleides) appears like an electric flash among the vegetation. Its intense blue does not come from pigments alone: tiny structures in the scales of its wings reflect light and create remarkable iridescence. When its wings close, they reveal a brown underside with large eyespots. In flight, it seems to switch the forest’s light on and off with every movement.

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Butterflies

In Ecuador, butterflies transform every ecosystem into a universe of shapes and colors. From the humid forests of the Chocó and Amazon to Andean valleys and slopes, thousands of species reveal extraordinary diversity. Their wings can camouflage, warn, or imitate, while their metamorphosis reminds us that in nature, change is also a way to survive and transform.

Chocó toucan

Ramphastos brevis

Chocó toucan Ramphastos brevis

In the humid forests of the Ecuadorian Chocó, the Chocó toucan (Ramphastos brevis) seems to carry the colors of the forest in its own body. Its enormous yellow-and-black bill stands out against the green canopy, where it searches for fruit and carries seeds from tree to tree. Its presence reminds us that protecting the toucan also means protecting the forest that feeds, shelters, and connects thousands of species.

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Cuscungo owl

Bubo virginianus

Cuscungo owl Bubo virginianus

In the Ecuadorian Andes, the night has a pair of yellow eyes. The great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), known around Quito as the cuscungo, is a powerful nocturnal hunter with an almost silent flight. Its large eyes, feather tufts, and mottled plumage make it unmistakable. Among forests, ravines, and páramo, its presence reminds us that even near the city, another world awakens after dark.

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Darwin’s cotton

Gossypium darwinii

Darwin’s cotton Gossypium darwinii

Among lava, sun, and dry landscapes grows a cotton found nowhere else on Earth. Darwin’s cotton (Gossypium darwinii) is endemic to Galápagos, with large yellow flowers, reddish centers, and fruits covered in soft cotton-like fibers. Adapted to the islands’ dry zones, it is a remarkable example of how isolation has also shaped the evolutionary history of plants.

Darwin’s finches

Small in size, enormous in history, the Galápagos finches are symbols of evolution. From a common ancestor, different populations adapted to the opportunities offered by each island. Their beaks reveal that story: some crack seeds, others search for insects or feed on cactus. In Galápagos, a few variations can open completely new paths for life.

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Ecuadorian hillstar

Oreotrochilus chimborazo

Ecuadorian hillstar Oreotrochilus chimborazo

Above 3,600 meters, where cold, wind, and thin air dominate the landscape, lives the Ecuadorian hillstar (Oreotrochilus chimborazo). This high-altitude hummingbird moves across the Andean páramo in search of nectar, especially from chuquiragua flowers. Its violet and green shimmer seems almost impossible in such an extreme environment: a tiny Ecuadorian jewel made to survive close to the sky.

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Frogs

In Ecuador, frogs turn the night into a concert of shapes, colors, and calls. From tiny glass frogs to species of the páramo and Amazon rainforest, the country is home to extraordinary diversity. Some live among leaves, others beside rivers or inside bromeliads. Their sensitive skin and life cycles also make them witnesses to the changes taking place in forests and wetlands.

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Galápagos Albatross

Phoebastria irrorata

Galápagos Albatross Phoebastria irrorata

The Galápagos albatross seems made for the horizon. With a wingspan that can exceed two meters, it spends much of its life above the ocean and returns each year to Española Island to breed. There, among volcanic rock and wind, it performs one of the islands’ most remarkable courtship rituals: a dance of bills, sounds, and synchronized movements that strengthens the pair bond. A story of sea and wind.

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Galápagos flamingo

Phoenicopterus ruber

Galápagos flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber

In the lagoons of Galápagos, the Galápagos flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) paints a pink contrast against lava and brackish water. Its color comes from carotenoids found in its food, while its distinctive curved bill filters tiny organisms from the water. The archipelago’s population is small and isolated, making every encounter with these elegant birds a truly special sight.

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Galápagos mockingbird

Mimus parvulus

Galápagos mockingbird Mimus parvulus

Curious, restless, and always alert, the Galápagos mockingbird (Mimus parvulus) is one of the birds most closely connected to the islands’ landscapes. Endemic to the archipelago, it moves across the ground among cactus and arid habitats searching for insects, fruits, and small animals. Its story is also linked to Darwin: differences among mockingbirds from different islands helped inspire questions about how species change.

Galápagos penguin

Spheniscus mendiculus

Galápagos penguin Spheniscus mendiculus

In Galápagos, a penguin lives where you would least expect to find one. The Galápagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) is the only penguin that lives and breeds in the tropics. Endemic to the archipelago, it depends on the cold, nutrient-rich waters surrounding mainly Isabela and Fernandina. Small, fast underwater, and vulnerable to ocean change, it is a true exception of evolution.

Galápagos sea lion

Zalophus wollebaeki

Galápagos sea lion Zalophus wollebaeki

Between beaches, lava, and open water, the Galápagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) is one of the archipelago’s most familiar and charismatic inhabitants. Endemic to the islands, it rests in coastal colonies and becomes an agile, powerful swimmer underwater. Its life depends on a productive ocean, and its populations quickly reflect changes in the surrounding marine environment.

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Galápagos vermilion flycatcher

Pyrocephalus nanus

Galápagos vermilion flycatcher Pyrocephalus nanus

Among the forests of Galápagos appears a flash of red: the Galápagos vermilion flycatcher (Pyrocephalus nanus), an endemic species found nowhere else on Earth. The male displays brilliant scarlet red and black plumage, while the female wears more subdued tones. From a branch, it watches, waits, and darts into the air to catch insects in flight. Small and brilliant, it is a living jewel of the islands.

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Giant tortoises

In Galápagos, giant tortoises tell different stories depending on the island they inhabit. Some have rounded, dome-shaped shells; others developed a saddleback shape that allows them to stretch their necks higher and reach taller vegetation. Among them was Chelonoidis abingdonii, the species of Lonesome George. Each shell reveals a different way of adapting to island life.

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Glass frog

Hyalinobatrachium yaku

Glass frog Hyalinobatrachium yaku

In the Ecuadorian Amazon, the Yaku glass frog (Hyalinobatrachium yaku) takes transparency to the extreme: even its heart can be seen through its belly. Small, green, and closely tied to rainforest streams, it owes its name to the Kichwa word yaku, meaning water. Beneath leaves, males call and guard the eggs: a tiny window into the secret world of Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest.

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Hammerhead shark

Sphyrna lewini

Hammerhead shark Sphyrna lewini

In the waters of Galápagos, the scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini) can gather in enormous schools that seem to fill the ocean. Its unmistakable hammer-shaped head expands its sensory range and helps detect the faint electrical signals of its prey. Migratory, powerful, and surprisingly social, it is one of the great symbols of the Marine Reserve and also a Critically Endangered species.

Hummingbirds

Small, fast, and brilliant, hummingbirds seem to defy the rules of flight. Found only in the Americas, they have one of their great strongholds in Ecuador, where more than 100 species inhabit our forests, gardens, and páramo. With their varied bills, flowers, and iridescent flashes, these tiny travelers are also essential pollinators and one of the great symbols of our biodiversity.

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Jaguar

Panthera onca

Jaguar Panthera onca

In Ecuador’s forests, the jaguar (Panthera onca) moves almost unseen. It is the largest feline in the Americas and a key predator in the ecosystems it inhabits. Its powerful body, unique rosette patterns, and ability to swim reveal an extraordinary hunter. In the Amazon and Chocó, its presence is also a sign that vast, connected forests still remain.

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Land iguana

Iguana terrestre de Galápagos

Land iguana Iguana terrestre de Galápagos

Among lava, dust, and cactus, the Galápagos land iguana (Conolophus subcristatus) has made arid landscapes its home. Endemic to the archipelago, it obtains much of its food and moisture from plants such as Opuntia cactus. By digging, moving through the terrain, and dispersing seeds, it also helps shape the landscape. With yellow and ochre tones, it is an ancient inhabitant of islands where survival means adaptation.

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Llama

Lama glama

Llama Lama glama

In the Andes, the llama (Lama glama) has walked alongside human communities for thousands of years. Domesticated from ancestors of the guanaco, it adapted to high elevations, cold temperatures, and the open landscapes of the mountains. A pack animal, source of fiber, and part of Andean rural life, its story cannot be separated from that of the people who learned to thrive in these mountains of South America.

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Magnificent frigatebird

Fregata magnificens

Magnificent frigatebird Fregata magnificens

The magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) seems designed to never touch the ground. With long wings, a deeply forked tail, and nearly effortless flight, it masters the air currents above Galápagos. During courtship, the male inflates an enormous red gular pouch that transforms its silhouette. It is one of the archipelago’s most spectacular sights: a true master of the open sky.

Marine iguana

Amblyrhynchus cristatus

Marine iguana Amblyrhynchus cristatus

The marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) is a creature found only in Galápagos and the only lizard in the world adapted to forage in the sea. It swims through cold currents, clings to rocks to graze on algae, and then returns to lava to warm itself in the sun. Its dark body, flattened tail, and salt-excreting glands tell an extraordinary story of island evolution.

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Mottled scorpionfish

Pontinus clemensi

Mottled scorpionfish Pontinus clemensi

In the depths of Galápagos lives the mottled scorpionfish (Pontinus clemensi), a reddish fish with dark markings that blends into the seafloor. It inhabits mainly deeper waters and feeds on fish and crustaceans. Rarely seen by most visitors, it belongs to a less familiar, submerged Galápagos, where life adapts to darkness, pressure, and silence.

Nazca booby

Sula granti

Nazca booby Sula granti

White, masked, and made for the ocean, the Nazca booby (Sula granti) is the largest booby in Galápagos. From its coastal colonies, it heads out to sea in search of fish and returns to land to breed. Its story includes a striking behavior: it usually lays two eggs, but normally only one chick survives, the result of intense competition between siblings.

Octopus

Octopus

Octopus Octopus

In Galápagos, octopuses seem made to disappear. They can change color, pattern, and texture to blend into rocks and the seafloor, while their eight arms explore the environment with thousands of sensitive suckers. From shallow-water species such as Octopus oculifer to deep-sea inhabitants, these cephalopods reveal extraordinary intelligence and adaptability.

Opuntia cactus

Opuntia echios

Opuntia cactus Opuntia echios

In the arid zones of Galápagos, the Opuntia cactus (Opuntia echios) rises among lava and sun like a living sculpture. Endemic to the archipelago, it can grow like a tree and reach several meters in height. Its yellow flowers and fleshy fruits feed many species, while its pads provide moisture and food for giant tortoises and land iguanas. A cactus that sustains life in the driest landscapes.

Orchids

In Ecuador, orchids transform forests, mountains, and jungles into small worlds of extraordinary forms. With more than 4,000 identified species, the country is one of the world’s great centers of orchid diversity. Some grow on trees, others on the ground, and their flowers have developed remarkable relationships with insects and fungi. Each one reveals a different strategy for blooming.

Plate-billed mountain toucan

Andigena laminirostris

Plate-billed mountain toucan Andigena laminirostris

Through the mist of the Andean Chocó appears one of Ecuador’s most remarkable toucans: the plate-billed mountain toucan (Andigena laminirostris). Its large black, red, and yellow bill seems almost unreal against the green forest. It feeds mainly on fruit and helps disperse seeds, connec

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Puma

Puma concolor

Puma Puma concolor

Across forests, páramo, and mountains, the puma (Puma concolor) moves with extraordinary adaptability. It is one of Ecuador’s great predators and inhabits very different landscapes, from tropical forests to high-Andean regions. Solitary, silent, and difficult to observe, its presence reveals territories that still preserve enough space, prey, and ecological connections for wildlife.

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Rays

In Galápagos, rays turn the ocean into a place of flight. From the immense giant manta ray to eagle rays, cownose rays, and bottom-dwelling stingrays, this group brings together flattened bodies, wing-like fins, and very different ways of life. Some travel through the open blue; others rest on sand and rock. Together, they reveal the diversity and elegance of the archipelago’s underwater world.

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Red-footed booby

Sula sula

Red-footed booby Sula sula

Between trees and the open ocean, the red-footed booby (Sula sula) reveals a different side of Galápagos boobies. It is the smallest of the three species and the only one that regularly nests in trees and shrubs. Its red feet, bluish bill, and variable plumage make it unmistakable. From colonies such as Genovesa, it flies far offshore in search of fish and squid.

Red Howler Monkey

Alouatta Seniculus

Red Howler Monkey Alouatta Seniculus

Before you see it, you will probably hear it. The red howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus) sends powerful calls traveling for kilometers through the Amazon rainforest. Its throat acts like a natural resonance chamber, while its prehensile tail supports it high in the canopy. With reddish fur and a life among leaves, fruits, and branches, it is one of the most impressive voices of Ecuador’s forests.

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Sally Lightfoot crab

Grapsus grapsus

Sally Lightfoot crab Grapsus grapsus

On the black lava of Galápagos, the Sally Lightfoot crab (Grapsus grapsus) looks like a spark of color in motion. Red, orange, and blue, it races across rocks battered by the waves, feeding on algae and organic remains. Agile and resilient, it plays a role in the balance of the coast. Its presence reminds us that even the smallest animals help sustain life across the archipelago.

Scarlet macaw

Ara macao

Scarlet macaw Ara macao

In the Ecuadorian Amazon, the scarlet macaw (Ara macao) crosses the canopy like a flash of red, yellow, and blue. Its powerful bill opens fruits and seeds that few animals can handle, while its loud calls keep the group connected among the trees. Intelligent, social, and closely tied to vast tropical forests, it is one of the most spectacular inhabitants of our rainforest.

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Sea turtles

In Galápagos, sea turtles connect beaches, rocky coastlines, and the open ocean. Species recorded in the archipelago include the Pacific green sea turtle, leatherback, hawksbill, and loggerhead. The green sea turtle is the most common and the only one that regularly nests on the islands, while the others appear less frequently along their oceanic journeys. Together, they reveal a living, migratory, deeply connected sea.

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Sharks

In Galápagos, sharks are an essential part of the ocean’s heartbeat. From hammerheads and whale sharks to tiger sharks, Galápagos sharks, whitetip reef sharks, and blacktip sharks, this group embodies strength, movement, and deep ecological balance. More than predators, they are guardians of the sea: their presence speaks of a living ecosystem that still deserves to be protected.

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Sloth

Bradypus variegatus

Sloth Bradypus variegatus

In Ecuador’s tropical forests, the three-toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus) has turned slowness into a survival strategy. It spends most of its life high in the canopy, feeding on leaves and moving with large curved claws. Its fur can host algae that give it a greenish tint and may help it blend into the forest as it moves through life at its own pace.

Spectacled bear

Tremarctos ornatus

Spectacled bear Tremarctos ornatus

Between cloud forests and páramo lives the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), the only bear native to South America. The pale markings around its eyes are unique to each individual, like a natural fingerprint. A skilled climber and traveler of the Andes, it feeds mainly on fruits and plants. By dispersing seeds and moving through vegetation, it also helps regenerate Andean forests.

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Tanagers

In Ecuador, tanagers look like small fragments of the forest transformed into color. Blues, greens, yellows, reds, and golden tones appear across the Chocó, the Andes, and the Amazon, often moving through the branches alongside other birds. They feed on fruits, seeds, and insects, helping keep the forest alive. Watching them is discovering how biodiversity can also be expressed through light and movement.

Whale shark

Rhincodon typus

Whale shark Rhincodon typus

In Galápagos, the whale shark (Rhincodon typus) appears as a gentle giant of the ocean. It is the largest fish in the world, yet it feeds by filtering tiny organisms from the water. Each year, large females travel through the waters near Darwin Island, reminding us that even the biggest animals depend on safe ocean routes. Protecting them means protecting a living sea without borders.

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