Small Tree-finch

Paul Demkovich

We spent 8 days in the Galápagos Islands traveling to 10 islands, looking for the special birds on each.

We really had to work to find and identify the various Darwin Finches. Small Tree-finches were observed on a couple of islands. This image was taken on Isla Floreana.

Isla Floreana was the site of a 1930s settlement by Germans Dr. Friedrich Ritter, Dore Strauch, who were joined later by Heinz and Margaret Wittmer. The settlers continued contentedly until the Baroness Eloise Wehrborn de Wagner-Bosquet arrived with two lovers to build a resort. In 1934 the Baroness disappeared – probably murdered – and Ritter died of food poisoning. The 2025 movie Eden staring Jude Law captures the story very well. We visited the Wittmer hotel on Floreana, which is operated today by the Wittmer decendents.

Straw Necked Ibis

Small Tree-finch