Birds
Swallow-tailed Gull
Creagrus furcatus · also called swallow-tailed gulls
Hunting squid under cover of darkness with eyes noticeably larger than any other gull’s, a swallow-tailed gull lives a life almost entirely unlike the rest of its family, active by night and confined almost exclusively to the volcanic shores of the Galapagos Islands.
Overview
The swallow-tailed gull, Creagrus furcatus, is the only truly nocturnal gull in the world, native to ocean and coastal habitat centred almost entirely on the Galapagos Islands. Its unusually large, night-adapted eyes, deeply forked swallow-like tail, and near-total restriction to a single island group make it one of the most behaviourally and geographically distinctive gulls found anywhere on Earth.
A gull that chose the night
While every other gull in the world is active by day, the swallow-tailed gull has carved out an entirely nocturnal niche, hunting squid after dark with eyes built for exactly that purpose.
Status
Least Concern, remaining stable across its highly restricted range centred on the Galapagos Islands.
Swallow-tailed Gull: common questions
Is the swallow-tailed gull really the only nocturnal gull?
Yes, this species is considered the only truly nocturnal gull in the world, hunting almost exclusively after dark, a behaviour supported by its unusually large eyes adapted for low-light vision.
Why does the swallow-tailed gull have such large eyes?
This species has unusually large eyes for a gull, an adaptation that helps it hunt squid effectively at night, when most other gull species are inactive and roosting.
Where is the swallow-tailed gull found?
This species breeds almost exclusively in the Galapagos Islands, with only a small number of nesting sites known elsewhere, making it one of the most geographically restricted gulls in the world.
How did the swallow-tailed gull get its name?
This species is named for its deeply forked tail, which resembles that of a swallow, a distinctive shape unlike the more typically squared or slightly notched tails of most other gulls.