January

• Beginning of the rainy season.
• Land birds start nesting, generally after the first rain.
• On Española the adult male marine iguanas become brightly colored.
• The green sea turtle  arrives to the beaches of Galapagos to lay their eggs.
• Land iguanas begin reproductive cycles on Isabela.
• Water sand air temperatures rise and stay warm until June.
• Ideal time for snorkeling.

 

February

• On Floreana flamingos start nesting.
• Bahamas pintails start their breeding season.
• Masked boobies on Española are at the end of their nesting season.
• Marine iguanas nest on Sta. Cruz.
• The highest water temperature reaches 25º C (77º F). This temperature remains until April.
• Very few penguins are sighted in Bartholomew.
• The nesting season of the Galapagos dove reaches its peak.

 

March

• The rainy season reaches the highest precipitation.
• Sporadic tropical rains, intense sun and hot climate. Air temperature can reach up to 30º C (86º F).
• Marine iguanas nest in Fernandina.
• March 21, the beginning of the summer equinox signals the arrival of the waved albatross to Española.

 

April

• Massive arrival of waved albatross to Española. Their courtship starts.
• Hatching season ends for giant tortoises.
• The eggs of the green sea turtles begin to hatch.
• Land iguanas hatch on Isabela.

 

May

• North Seymour's blue-footed boobies begin their courtship.
• Sea turtles are still hatching on Gardner Bay, Punta Cormorant, and Puerto Egas.
• Most of marine iguanas' eggs hatch from nests on Santa Cruz.
• Palo Santo trees begin to shed their foliage.
• Waved albatross on Española start laying their eggs.
• Band-rumped storm petrels begin their first nesting period.

 

June

• Beginning of the garúa season.
• Giant tortoises on Sta. Cruz migrate from the highlands to the lowlands in search of suitable nesting places.
• Beginning of the nesting season of giant tortoises.

 

July

• Sea bird communities are very active, especially the blue footed boobies on Española. While, flightless cormorants court and nest on Fernandina.
• It is possible to find oystercatchers nesting on Pto. Egas.
• Lava lizard initiates mating rituals until November.
• Whales are more likely to be observed, specially off the Western coast of Isabela.

 

August

• The Galapagos hawks court on Española and Santiago.
• Mask boobies and swallowtailed gulls nest on Genovesa.
• The temperature of the ocean descends to 18º C (64º F). which obviously varies, according to the geographic  zones among the islands.
• Migrant shore birds start to arrive, and stay on the islands until March.
• Giant tortoises return to the highlands of Sta. Cruz.

 

September

• Cold (garúa) season peak.
• The air temperature reaches its lowest (19º C) (66º F).
• Penguins demonstrate remarkable activity on Bartolome until December.
• Sea lions are very active, especially in the western and central areas of the Archipelago.
• Most species of marine birds remain active at their nesting sites.

 

October

• Lava herons nest until March.
• The Galapagos fur seals begin their marine period.
• Boobies raise their chicks on Española.
• Giant tortoises still lay their eggs.

 

November

• Sea lion pups are born.
• Sea lions are sexually active on the Eastern part of the Archipelago.
• Breeding season of brown noddies.
• Band-romped storm petrels begin their second nesting period.

 

December

• Hatching of the giant tortoise’s eggs begins and lasts until April.
• Green sea turtles display their mating behavior.
• The rainy season begins, all of the plants of the dry zone produce leaves, Galapagos turns green.
• The first young albatross fledge.

Note: Due to changes in the strength and the limits of the ocean currents that can affect the weather in Galapagos, some of the events described above may differ.