Darwin’s Finches

Small land birds known as Darwin's finches - 13 of which are unique to the Galapagos Islands - were named after Charles Darwin. The Cocos finch, which is found on Cocos Island in Costa Rica, is the fourteenth finch. They are actually members of the tanager family and are not true finches. Their nearest known relative and the presumed ancestor is the drab-colored grassquit found in continental South America.

Once the original grassquits reached Galapagos, they evolved and adapted to the various habitats there, eventually giving rise to other varieties. They are renowned for having evolved to have various beaks that fit diverse food types, like big seeds and invertebrates, enabling them to occupy distinct niches. Despite having relatively similar sizes, shapes, and colors, Darwin's finches can be distinguished from one another by a few subtle variances. Diet, habitat, and beak size and form are a few of these.