Large ground-finch  (Geospiza magnirostris)

Description

As icons of evolution, no other plant or animal group rivals the fourteen closely related birds known collectively as Darwin’s finches. With the exception of one species, all inhabit the Galapagos Islands where they appear to have evolved from a single ancestral flock that arrived in the archipelago several millennia ago (2) (3) (4). The largest of Darwin’s finches is the appropriately named, large ground-finch (2). Like the other ground finches, the male plumage of the large ground-finch is completely black while the female is brown and streaked (3). In addition to being the largest finch in the Galapagos, it also has the broadest beak; an attribute that enables it to exploit food sources less accessible to the smaller beaked finches (2) (3).

Darwin Now is the British Council's contribution to the international celebration of the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth and the 150 year anniversary of the publication of On The Origin of Species
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