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Geospiza sp.

Geospiza sp.


Family: Thraupidae
Order: Passeriformes
Class: Aves
Phylum / Division: Chordata
Kingdom: Animalia

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Description


Geospiza is a genus of bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. All species in the genus are endemic to the Galápagos Islands. Together with related genera, they are collectively known as Darwin´s finches. Although in the past, they were classified in the bunting and American sparrow family Emberizidae, more recent studies have shown they belong in the tanager family.

Taxonomy and species list: The genus Geospiza was introduced in 1837 by the English ornithologist John Gould with the large ground finch as the type species. The genus name derives from the two Ancient Greek words (), meaning "earth", and (), a catch-all term for finch-like birds. The member of the genus form part of a group collectively known as Darwin´s finches. Although traditionally placed with the buntings and New World sparrows in the family Emberizidae, molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that Darwin´s finches are members of the subfamily Coerebinae within the tanager family Thraupidae.

The genus contains the following nine species.

ImageScientific nameCommon nameDistribution
120px]]Geospiza fuliginosaSmall ground finchGalápagos Islands
120px]]Geospiza difficilisSharp-beaked ground finchwestern/central Galápagos Islands
120px]]Geospiza acutirostrisGenovesa ground finchGenovesa Island
120px]]Geospiza septentrionalisVampire ground finchDarwin]] and Wolf Island
120px]]Geospiza conirostrisEspañola cactus finchEspañola Island
120px]]Geospiza propinquaGenovesa cactus finchGenovesa Island
120px]]Geospiza magnirostrisLarge ground finchGalápagos Islands
120px]]Geospiza scandensCommon cactus finchGalápagos Islands
120px]]Geospiza fortisMedium ground finchGalápagos Islands


Hybrids: A purported hybrid species (informally nicknamed "Big Bird") endemic to Daphne Major and formed almost four decades prior by hybridization between a vagrant Geospiza conirostris and a Geospiza fortis was also reported in 2017, though it has yet to be formally described.

Source: Wikipedia, article Geospiza sp.. Content adapted from Wikipedia, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license. Accessed on 18/07/2026.





Geographic distribution


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Species photographs

Last published photographs

Foto
Photography ID: 86820
  Adult

Isla Santa Cruz
Islas Galápagos
Ecuador
02/11/2015
Pablo Marcelo Meyer
Foto
Photography ID: 47355
  Adult

Isla Santa Cruz
Islas Galápagos
Ecuador
11/07/2010
Eduardo Soriano



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Species reports



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Page 1
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
180706911/02/2015EcuadorIslas GalápagosLos Gemelos, Isla Santa CruzPablo Marcelo Meyer
180480407/11/2010EcuadorIslas GalápagosIsla Santa CruzEduardo Soriano
Page 1

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Recommended citation
Please use the following reference when citing this species account.
EcoRegistros. 2026. Geospiza sp. – Species account. Accessed from www.ecoregistros.org on 16/09/2026.