Fun Large Ground Finch Facts For Kids

Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection talks about how organisms evolve to adapt to their natural habitats. In his book ‘On the Origin of Species', Charles Darwin explained how organisms evolved with the inheritance of certain characteristics at a genetic level over a period of time.

He came up with this theory when he visited the Galapagos island and observed that the differences in the beaks of finches,  the birds residing on that island, as a result of the change in their diet and habitat.

This fact file is about the largest Darwinian finch, the large ground finch (geospiza magnirostris). Medium ground finch birds are endemic to Galapagos island and are most prevalent in the arid zones of the archipelago.

Here are some of the most fascinating aspects about the large ground finch (geospiza magnirostris), one of the most popular birds in the world. Afterward, do check our other animal fact files on the rock wren and common grackle as well.

Large Ground Finch Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a large ground finch?

The large ground finch (geospiza magnirostris) is a bird, the largest darwinian finch residing in the Galapagos Islands. Like the medium ground finch, this bird species mostly feeds on seeds and wood nuts and has a wide pointy bill that is very slightly curved on the upper surface.

What class of animal does a large ground finch belong to?

The large ground finch (geospiza magnirostris) belongs to the class aves of phylum chordata kingdom animalia. More specifically this Darwin's finch belongs to the family thraupidae of order passeriformes, the order of passerine birds or the preacher birds, and is native to Galapagos Islands.

How many large ground finches are there in the world?

The large ground finch (geospiza magnirostris) dwells in the Galapagos Islands and their population is stable for now. The proper count of their population on the Galapagos Islands is not known but it is estimated that nearly 10,000 mature breeding Darwin's finches of this species are there in the red-listed areas of the Galapagos Islands.

Where does a large ground finch live?

The large ground finch (geospiza magnirostris) is endemic to the Galapagos island and is mostly found in the arid zones of the archipelago. The large ground finch (geospiza magnirostris) can also be found in Islands Wolf, Genovesa arid zones where the cactus finch bird is also present.

What is a large ground finch's habitat?

The large ground finch (geospiza magnirostris) feeds on the opuntia cactus and the croton Scouleri shrub and is mostly found in the deciduous forests, along with the cactus finch.

Who do large ground finches live with?

Large ground finches live in groups. These Darwin's finches are usually spotted in small groups where the females are more dominant than the male finches. This species forage and breed in groups, in small flocks mostly to stay away from the predators.

How long does a large ground finch live?

A large ground finch may live up to 15-20 years in suitable conditions. But it is more commonly seen that the birds of this species are seen living for up to 5-10 years on average. These Darwin's finches spend most of their time foraging and feeding on insect larvae.

How do they reproduce?

Large cactus ground finch breeding takes place during the rainy season. Courtship display involves a bird call (mating call).

Both male and females build their nests in spherical form with twigs, lichens, and dry grasses and the entrance at the top. This species lay the eggs during peak breeding season where the food is present in large amounts to feed their nestlings.

What is their conservation status?

Large ground finches are considered as a Least Concerned species according to the IUCN Red List.  Their population across Galapagos Islands is stable for now except for Floreana Island where they are extinct.

Large Ground Finch Fun Facts

What do large ground finches look like?

Large ground finches are medium-sized birds. The male large ground finch is a dull-looking bird,  with a dark black plumage covering its body.

The underparts are covered in lighter plumage and their tail is short. The large ground finch beak is broad, dark, strong, and well adapted to break the large woody shells of the seeds. The female finch comparatively has a dark brown plumage with grey fringing on the head and breast which get lighter on the underside of the breast.

Males have a black beak while females have an orange bill. The immature male bird has mixed traits of both the male and female large ground finch.

How cute are they?

A large ground cactus finch bird is not cute, rather dull looking. Members of this species are medium-sized birds and their appearance varies with habitat. These birds were the starting point of the most important theory of evolution but this species is not really appealing to bird watchers.

How do they communicate?

A large ground cactus finch is like any other bird that is a passerine bird and has a unique birdcall that varies with bill size and structure. A male finch’s song is lower-pitched and sounds like chzweee-chzwee and their call speed is lower. Their high-pitched call sounds like tzeeeeppp.

How big is a large ground finch?

A large ground finch is twice the size of a warbler. The size of an average adult finch is around 5.9-6.29 in (15-16 cm).

How fast can a large ground finch fly?

Witnesses say that the large ground finch, like any other finch, is a fast bird. They fly faster for foraging and feeding on small insect larvae.

How much does a large ground finch weigh?

These birds are medium-sized passerines and are quite lightweight birds. A large ground finch may weigh around 0.059-0.089 lb (27-39 g).

What are their male and female names of the species?

There are no separate names for male and female finches and are referred to by the same name, male large ground finch and female large ground finch. Some other finches include the bullfinch, chaffinch, and the red finch.

What would you call a baby large ground finch?

A baby large ground finch is referred to as a nestling or a hatchling. Juvenile finches may live with parent finches till they are mature enough to fledge on their own.

What do they eat?

The large ground finch diet is omnivorous. The large ground finch food intake comprises the insect larvae and caterpillars. Their food intake also features nuts and seeds of various fruits. They also feed on nectar sometimes.

Are they dangerous?

A large ground finch is not exactly a predator. But reports suggest that they carry various parasites that may harm humans.

Would they make a good pet?

It is a popular practice to take finches as pets. But care has to be taken since they are responsible for carrying various parasites as hosts responsible for causing disease in humans.

Did you know...

A very important concept in the theory of evolution is adaptive radiation:

Classical examples of this concept are finches. The theory talks about the diversification of various organisms from their ancestral species. The new forms of the organism are vital to their survival in the environment they live in. These changes enable them to forage and breed easily and alter biotic interactions for them.

Are large ground finches an endemic species?

These birds are endemic to Galapagos island present in the Pacific Ocean. The colonization of the Galapagos Island is a result of the Closure of the Panama Land Bridge. This isolation brought about changes in the weather and wind direction as well.

Galapagos Islands finches

There are around 18 species of Darwinian finches present on Galapagos Island. The difference between each species is the result of evolution due to changes in their habitat.  They are present in various sizes, the different appearance of the plumage, and varying foraging activities.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these myna facts and blue tit facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable large ground finch coloring pages.