Medium Ground Finch

Medium Ground Finch
Medium Ground Finch
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Emberizidae
Genus: Geospiza
Species: G. fortis
Binomial name
Geospiza fortis
Gould, 1837

The Medium Ground Finch (Geospiza fortis) is a species of bird in the Emberizidae family. It is endemic to the Galapagos Islands. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. One of Darwin's finches, the species was the first which scientists have observed evolving in real-time.

In 1977 a severe drought reduced the supply of seeds in the Galapagos. The finch which normally preferred small and soft seeds, was forced to turn to harder larger seeds. Subsequently, there has been a 10% change in the size of beaks for these finches in a couple of generations.

References

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