The bobolink is the only known land bird that migrates annually through the Galápagos Islands. This small New World blackbird breeds across southern Canada and the northern United States, then travels to southern South America for winter.
The Galápagos lie more than 2,000 kilometres from the bobolink’s main migration route, making its regular passage especially remarkable. Charles Darwin collected a bobolink there in 1835. Researchers have suggested that bobolinks may transport seeds caught in their feathers and could even help introduce avian-malaria parasites to the islands.
Bobolinks are also famous for their long migrations. One tracked bird covered about 19,000 kilometres during a year and flew up to 1,800 kilometres in a single day before stopping to rest. Their old names, “rice bird” and “reedbird,” reflect their habit of feeding in grain fields during migration. The species is declining because of habitat loss and intensive agriculture.