Galapagos Islands - Birds - Ecuador
The Galapagos Islands are home to some of the highest levels of endemism (species found nowhere else on Earth). Of the 56 native (arrived naturally) bird species of Galapagos, 45 (80%) are endemic and 11 are indigenous (native to Galapagos but also found elsewhere). In addition to the native birds, there are 29 migratory species. Of the 29 resident land birds in the Galapagos, 22 are endemic at the level of species. Thirteen of the 22 endemic species are known collectively as Darwin’s finches. There are only six endemic species among the seabirds. All these images are during 17 February days.
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Large Ground Finch (Geospiza magnirostris) - this male specimen (darker plumage) perched upon a lichen encrusted limb, and feeding upon the mid-summer rainy season's fresh flower bud, in the Arid Zone, upon (southern) Santa Cruz Island. This is the largest of 13 Finch species upon the Galapagos Archipelago, collectively known as Darwin Finches - which are mainly differentiated by their bill/beak configuration.
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