Fun Medium Tree Finch Facts For Kids

Martha Martins
Oct 20, 2022 By Martha Martins
Originally Published on Sep 23, 2021
Edited by Luca Demetriou
One of the interesting medium tree finch facts as it is found only on Floreana Island.
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Age: 3-18
Read time: 5.6 Min

 Medium tree finch (Camarhynchus pauper) is a small, fast bird belonging to the Camarhynchus genus and Thraupidae family. It has orange brown eyes, black feet, a curved bill, and long sandy brown hair. The adult male species has a blackish head, brownish olive upperparts, a short tail, whitish to pale buffy underparts, and feather centers. The female species, however, is tan and has whitish underparts. The breeding male has a black bill, whereas the female and non-breeding male have an orange bill. It is endemic to the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, where it is found only on the Floreana Island, within a very small range, and its habitat includes montane evergreen forest, tropical deciduous forest, and humid scrub, with an elevation of 984.2-1312.4 ft (300-400 m). According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, this bird species is Critically Endangered, and its current population trend is decreasing. Its main threats include agriculture expansion, alteration by invasive plant species, habitat destruction, avian pox, degradation by free ranging domestic livestock, pigs, cats, dogs, parasitic fly Philornis downsi, and rats.

It is an omnivore and its diet includes insects, nectar, young buds, and leaves. Its breeding season starts in February and lasts till April. It is monogamous and may form long term pairs. The male species are territorial during the breeding season, they maintain a small territory, and sing at display nests to attract the female species. The male species build the spherical nest in the Scalesia pedunculata areas. The female species lays four whitish eggs with darker spots. She incubates them alone for 12 days, but the chicks are fed by both parents, and they fledge 13-16 days after the hatching. The accidentally introduced fly Philornis downsi parasites their nests which causes a decrease in their population. A baby medium tree finch is called a juvenile, an offspring, or a chick. With its small body and colorful shading, the medium tree finch is extremely beautiful and very adorable to look at.

For more relatable content, check out these red finch facts and European goldfinch facts pages. 

Medium Tree Finch Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a medium tree finch?

Medium tree finch (Camarhynchus pauper) is a fast, small bird of the Thraupidae family.

What class of animal does a medium tree finch belong to?

Medium tree finch belongs to the Aves class, which includes all vertebrates.

How many medium tree finches are there in the world?

There is a continuous decline in the number of mature medium tree finches in the world. However, there are currently less than 1660 of these bird species left, according to the available data on their population.

Where does a medium tree finch live?

Medium tree finch is endemic to the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, where it is found only in the highlands of Floreana Island.

What is a medium tree finch's habitat?

The habitat of a medium tree finch is predominated by montane evergreen forest, tropical deciduous forest, and humid scrub, with an elevation of 984.2-1312.4 ft (300-400 m).

Who does medium tree finch live with?

Although there is no information provided for the same, it is known that a medium tree finch is a resident in its range.

How long does a medium tree finch live?

Medium tree finch (Camarhynchus pauper) has an average life span of 15-20 years.

How do they reproduce?

Their breeding season starts in February and lasts till April. They are monogamous and may form long term pairs. The male species are territorial during the breeding season, they maintain a small territory, and sing at display nests to attract the female species. The male species build the spherical nest in the Scalesia pedunculata areas. The female species lays four whitish eggs with darker spots. She incubates them alone for 12 days, but the chicks are fed by both parents and they fledge 13-16 days after the hatching. The accidentally introduced fly Philornis downsi parasites their nests which causes a decrease in their population.

What is their conservation status?

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, these bird species are Critically Endangered, and their current population trend is decreasing. Their main threats include agriculture expansion, alteration by invasive plant species, habitat destruction, avian pox, degradation by free ranging domestic livestock, pigs, cats, dogs, parasitic fly Philornis downsi, and rats.

Medium Tree Finch Fun Facts

What does medium tree finch look like?

It is a small, fast bird with orange brown eyes, black feet, curved bill, and long sandy brown hair. The adult male species has a blackish head, brownish olive upperparts, a short tail, whitish to pale buffy underparts, and feather centers. The female species, however, is tan and has whitish underparts. The breeding male has a black bill, whereas the female and non breeding male have an orange bill.

It is small and has a brownish body, curved bill, short tail, and black feet and legs.

How cute are they?

With their small body and colorful shading, the medium tree finches are extremely beautiful and very adorable to look at.

How do they communicate?

Medium tree finches are high-pitched and they make sounds like 'zweee' and 'phwee' and their song consists of a repeated series of notes such as 'che-che-che' or 'twe-twe-twe'.

How big is a medium tree finch?

Medium tree finch (Camarhynchus pauper) is 4.92 in (12.5 cm) long. It is almost the same height as house finch.

How fast can a medium tree finch fly?

Although there is no official data available regarding its flying speed, a medium tree finch is known to be a rapid and an excellent flier.

How much does a medium tree finch weigh?

Its average weight is 0.03-0.04 lb (16-20 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no sex specific names given to these bird species. However, they are both commonly known by their scientific name, Camarhynchus pauper.

What would you call a baby medium tree finch?

A baby medium tree finch is called a juvenile, an offspring, or a chick.

What do they eat?

They are omnivores and their diet includes insects, nectar, young buds, and leaves.

Are they dangerous?

While no information is available regarding this, medium tree finches are considered to be pretty harmless.

Would they make a good pet?

Yes, medium tree finches would make a great pet.

Did you know...

The only remaining natural predator of these bird species is the Galapagos short-eared owl.

Is medium tree finch endemic?

Yes, the medium tree finch is endemic to the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, where it is found only on the Floreana Island, within a very small range.

What are the 13 types of finches?

There are 13 Darwin’s finches, which are small birds named after Charles Darwin, and they are all endemic to the Galapagos Islands. Their names are green warbler finch, grey warbler finch, mangrove finch, woodpecker finch, large tree finch, medium tree finch, small tree finch, large ground finch, medium ground finch, small ground finch, large cactus finch, common cactus finch, and sharp-beaked ground finch.

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 gouldian finch facts and lesser goldfinch facts pages.

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

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Written by Martha Martins

Bachelor of Arts specializing in Linguistics

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Martha MartinsBachelor of Arts specializing in Linguistics

Martha is a full-time creative writer, content strategist, and aspiring screenwriter who communicates complex thoughts and ideas effectively. She has completed her Bachelor's in Linguistics from Nasarawa State University. As an enthusiast of public relations and communication, Martha is well-prepared to substantially impact your organization as your next content writer and strategist. Her dedication to her craft and commitment to delivering high-quality work enables her to create compelling content that resonates with audiences.

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