The Birds You’re Likely To See Cruising Around The Falkland Islands

Around 230 species of bird have been recorded on the Falkland Islands including two endemic species. The penguins are undoubtably the star attraction, with as many as million nesting on the islands every summer. On a Falkland Island cruise, keen ornithologists are not only likely to spot several penguin species but many other rare and fascinating bird species.

Visit the Falkland Islands on an expedition cruise in the Antarctic with Swan Hellenic. Our Antarctica In depth: Antarctica, South Georgia & Falklands itinerary allows plenty of opportunities to meet the birds of the Falkland Islands for yourself.

Five of the world’s seventeen penguin species live on the Falkland Islands. Volunteer Beach on East Falkland has one of the northernmost colonies of king penguins in the world. You’ll find tiny Southern rockhopper penguins on the cliffs of Pebble and Sea Lion Islands. Watch these crested, charismatic birds hop effortlessly up steep cliffs with both feet together. The distinctive black and white Magellanic penguins arrive in summer for breeding season and the inquisitive gentoo penguin is also prolific here. Similar in looks and behaviour to their rockhopper cousins, macaroni penguins are a rarer sight, with only a few dozen breeding pairs living on the islands.

Known locally as the ‘Johnny Rook’, the striated caracara is a striking chocolate brown coloured bird of prey with a big personality. They are listed as ‘Near Threatened’, with only 500 breeding pairs left on the Falkland Islands. In the 19th century, sheep farmers began to regard the striated caracara as a threat to their livestock. The resulting persecution of the birds contributed to a significant drop in their numbers. Regarded as one of the most intelligent birds of prey, they are prone to stealing unsupervised possessions from tourists, so keep one eye on your belongings if you spot one of these magnificent birds.