Common Name: Galapagos Petrel
Scientific Name: Pterodroma phaeopygia

Distribution: Found in the east Pacific Ocean, yet only breeds in the highlands of the Galapagos Archipelago.

Biology: A pelagic feeder like other gadfly petrels, the Galapagos Petrel forages on squid and other cephalopods as well as fish and crustaceans, which are typically caught on the wing in the surface of the sea.
The Galapagos Petrel breeds colonially in the highland forests and scrubland of the Galápagos Islands (Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Santiago) where it nests in burrows. The nest sites are visited exclusively in the cover of darkness during nighttime, and the Petrels are typically very vocal during these visits to the colonies.

IUCN Conservation Status: Critically Endangered
The Galapagos Petrel is among the most endangered seabirds in the world, due to its limited geographical distribution and its declining population of approx. 6000-15.000 adult individuals. The main threat to the species is habitat destruction as well as nest predation from invasive predators, like rats, cats, dogs and feral pigs.
The Galapagos Petrel has great conservational attention from the Galápagos National Park, and eradication projects of invasive predators, as well as habitat restoration are currently being conducted to benefit the species.