Giant Tortoises
Land Lizards
Insects
Plant Life
Birds
Though once widespread throughout the central islands of the archipelago, the endemic Galápagos hawk (Buteo galapageoensis) is now endangered on all the populated islands. It is a dark and handsome bird, similar to the Swainson's hawk of North America, with lightly barred tail feathers. It feeds on land lizards and small iguanas, native and introduced rats, and smaller birds such as doves and mockingbirds. Its eyesight is excellent, as is typical with buteos.
Being at the top of the natural food chain in the Galápagos,
this hawk is virtually fearless, and quite easy to approach. Darwin
even noted, "A gun here is almost superfluous; for with the
muzzle I pushed a hawk out of the branch of a tree."
