Lava gull
Leucophaeus fuliginosus
EndemicOn landVulnerable
The lava gull is the rarest gull in the world, with a population estimated at only 900 to 1,200 individuals. It is endemic to the Galápagos, nesting alone on beaches and low outcrops rather than in colonies. Its sooty-gray plumage blends into the volcanic shoreline.
Best time to see it
Nests alone near water and can breed in most months; pairs are dispersed across the archipelago, so there is no single narrow peak.