GALAPAGOS YEAR AROUND
A calendar of main events

January

• Beginning of the rainy season.
• Land birds start nesting, generally after the first rain.
• 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.
• Both, water and air temperatures rise and stay warm until June.
• Ideal time for snorkelling.

February

• On Floreana flamingos start nesting.
• Bahamas pintails start their breeding season.
• Masked boobies on Española are at the end of their nesting season.
• Marine iguanas nest on Santa Cruz.
• The highest water temperature reaches 25ºC (77ºF). This temperature remains until April.
• Very few penguins are sighted in Bartholomew.
• The nesting season of the Galapagos dove reaches its peak.

March

• The rainy season reaches the highest precipitation.
• Sporadic tropical rains, intense sun and hot climate. Air temperature can reach up to 30ºC (86ºF).
• Marine iguanas nest in Fernandina.
• March 21, the beginning of the summer equinox signals the arrival of the waved albatross to Española.

April

• Massive arrival of waved albatross to Española. Their courtship starts.
• End of hatching season of the giant tortoises.
• The eggs of the green sea turtles begin to hatch.
• Land iguanas hatch on Isabela.

May

• North Seymour’s blue footed boobies begin their courtship.
• Sea turtles are still hatching on GardnerBay, 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 garúa season.
• Giant tortoises on Sta. Cruz migrate from the highlands to the lowlands in search of suitable nesting places.
• Beginning of the nesting season of giant tortoises.

July

• Sea bird communities are very active, especially the blue footed boobies on Española. Flightless cormorant’s court and nest on Ferandina.
• It is possible to find oyster catchers nesting on Puerto Egas.
• 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.
• Mask boobies and swallow-tailed gull nest on Genovesa.
• The temperature of the ocean descends 18ºC (64ºF), 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

• The peak of the cold (garúa) season.
• The air temperature reaches its lowers (19ºC) (66ºF).
• 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 seals begin their mating period.
• Boobies raise their chicks on Española.
• Giant tortoise still lay their eggs.

November

• Sea lion pups are born.
• Sea lions 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’s tortoises eggs begins and lasts until April.
• Green sea turtles display their mating behavior.
• The rainy season begin, all of the plants of the dry zone produce leaves. Galapagos “turns green”.
• The first young albatross fledge.

NOTE
Due to charges in the strength and the limits of the ocean currents that can affect the weather in Galapagos, some of the events described above may differ or fail