Genovesa Ground-Finch, Galapagos by David Whited

Genovesa Ground-Finch, Galapagos

David Whited

Genovesa Ground-Finch, Galapagos

Digital photography

Inv: PH-1656

The Genovesa ground-finch (*Geospiza acutirostris*) is a small Darwin's finch found only on Genovesa Island in the northeastern Galápagos, and it was only relatively recently recognized as a distinct species, having previously been lumped together with the sharp-beaked ground finch found on other islands. Like its relatives, it has a sharply pointed bill adapted for a varied diet of seeds, insects, and nectar from cactus flowers, but it's also known for an unusual and rather gruesome feeding habit shared with some other Genovesa finches: pecking at the base of seabird feathers to drink their blood, a behavior thought to have evolved from ordinary parasite-picking. Its population is confined to this single small island, so while it isn't currently considered threatened, its extremely limited range makes it inherently vulnerable to any disturbance, disease, or introduced species that might reach Genovesa.