Evolution and diversity in Galapagos finches
Evolution and diversity in Galapagos finches
Galapagos finches have evolved many adaptations that allow them to survive throughout the islands.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Galapagos finches have evolved many adaptations that allow them to survive throughout the islands.
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Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz; Thumbnail © Wessel Cirkel/Dreamstime.comLearn how global warming affects the migratory patterns of birds.
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© EcoView/FotoliaA flock of red-billed queleas (Quelea quelea), Etosha National Park, Namibia.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Black skimmer (Rynchops nigra) feeding along the water's surface.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.The flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi), endemic to the Galpagos Islands.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Archaeopteryx is the earliest known dinosaur that's also a bird.
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Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, MainzOverview of Bird Island, Seychelles.
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© Open University (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Learn about the Galapagos finches, particularly the woodpecker finch (Camarhynchus pallidus); the birds played a key role in Charles Darwin's formulation of his theory of evolution.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Birds descended from dinosaurs, but they don't have their ancestors' bite.
Transcript
Perhaps no animal group has contributed more to the history of evolutionary biology than the Galapagos finches, also called Darwin’s finches. The birds bear the name of Darwin because they, more than any other living thing, supplied the evidence of evolution. Similar in size and coloration, the 14 species differ from each other mainly in beak structure and feeding habits. From a single ancestral lineage, the Galapagos finches underwent adaptive radiation and evolved a variety of species capable of exploiting diverse ecological niches.
The varied shapes of their bills are related to the different ways in which the Galapagos finches obtain their food. Some species feed mainly on seeds. There are species that feed on flowers and buds and some that snack on cactus and its seeds. But most of Darwin’s finches feed on insects. The warbler finch with its slender and pointed bill feeds almost exclusively on insects. In fact, the medium ground finch adds protein to its cellulose-rich seed diet by grooming ticks from iguanas and tortoises.
The varied shapes of their bills are related to the different ways in which the Galapagos finches obtain their food. Some species feed mainly on seeds. There are species that feed on flowers and buds and some that snack on cactus and its seeds. But most of Darwin’s finches feed on insects. The warbler finch with its slender and pointed bill feeds almost exclusively on insects. In fact, the medium ground finch adds protein to its cellulose-rich seed diet by grooming ticks from iguanas and tortoises.