What finch is considered the cactus finch?

Common cactus finch (Geospiza scandens). Least Concern. As their name suggests, they feed mostly on Opuntia cacti. When the Opuntia are in flower, the finches feed almost exclusively on pollen and nectar.

Where does the cactus finch live?

Galápagos islands
The Large Cactus Finch (Geospiza conirostris) is a species of bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It is one of Darwin’s finches, and is endemic to the Galápagos islands, Ecuador, where it is restricted to Española, Genovesa, Darwin, and Wolf Islands.

How big is the cactus finch?

The Española cactus finch is among the largest of the Darwin’s finches, measuring 15 cm (5.9 in) in length. The male is black, with white-tipped undertail coverts. Female and immature birds range in color from dull gray to matte black, and frequently show white edges to the feathers of their underparts.

What does the common cactus finch eat?

The cactus finches eat the seeds and nectar from the flowers and eat the fruit and seeds. The ground finches feed on the fruit and seeds of the cactus. Flowers and fruit on a prickly pear cactus, San Cristobal, Galápagos.

What kind of bird is a cactus finch?

The Common Cactus-finch (Geospiza scandens) is a species of bird in the Darwin’s finch group of the tanager family Thraupidae.

Are there cactus finches in the Galapagos Islands?

The Common Cactus-finch (Geospiza scandens) is a species of bird in the Darwin’s finch group of the tanager family Thraupidae. It is endemic to the Galapagos Islands, where found on most islands, with the notable exception of Fernandina, Española, Genovesa, Darwin and Wolf.

How did cactus finches get their beaks and faces?

This protein had never before been implicated in the development of the skulls and faces of any birds. “We found that calmodulin was indeed expressed at detectably higher levels in cactus finches compared to ground finches, and thus associated with their longer beaks,” says Clifford Tabin, professor of genetics.

Are there any threats to the cactus finch?

PROTECTION / THREATS / STATUS: The Large Cactus-Finch is common within its small range, and its populations appear to be stable, with no evidence for any declines or threats. This species is currently evaluated as Least Concern by BirdLife International.