Española Cactus-Finch
Geospiza conirostris
Silhouette: Ryan Cupo · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyThraupidae (Tanagers and Allies)
- GenusGeospiza (Ground-Finches and Cactus-Finches)
- SpeciesGeospiza conirostris (Española Cactus-Finch)
About the Española Cactus-Finch
The Española 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, where it is restricted to Española, Genovesa, and the Darwin and Wolf Islands. This rather dark bird resembles the smaller and finer-beaked common cactus finch, but the two species do not co-inhabit any island.
Its natural habitat is dry shrubland and it is commonly seen on the ground. Its main food source is the cactus Opuntia. The Española cactus finch is one of Darwin's finches, a group of closely related birds that evolved on the Galápagos Islands. The group is related to the Tiaris grassquits, which are found in South America and the Caribbean. An ancestral relative of those grassquits arrived on the Galápagos Islands some 2–3 million years ago, and the Española cactus finch is one of the species that evolved from that ancestor.
From a study done in 2015, the Española cactus finch of Española was found to be a sister to the large ground finch, not to the Genovesa cactus finch. The International Ornithologists' Union has changed the taxonomy based on the study. Other taxonomic authorities... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Española Cactus-Finch in Galápagos Islands
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Galápagos Islands
Small Ground-Finch
Geospiza fuliginosa
Medium Ground-Finch
Geospiza fortis
Common Cactus-Finch
Geospiza scandens
Large Ground-Finch
Geospiza magnirostris
Genovesa Cactus-Finch
Geospiza propinqua
Genovesa Ground-Finch
Geospiza acutirostris
Vampire Ground-Finch
Geospiza septentrionalis
Sharp-beaked Ground-Finch
Geospiza difficilis
Small Tree-Finch
Camarhynchus parvulus
Grey Warbler-Finch
Certhidea fusca
Woodpecker Finch
Camarhynchus pallidus
Green Warbler-Finch
Certhidea olivacea
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Galápagos Islands | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Española Cactus-Finch in Galápagos Islands?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Española Cactus-Finch sighting in Galápagos Islands, based on 727 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Española Cactus-Finch in Galápagos Islands?
July has the highest sighting rate for Española Cactus-Finch in Galápagos Islands in our monthly data.