Galapagos Species Database

Taxon category: Accepted

Syn.: Geospiza conirostris conirostris Ridgway, 1890; Geospiza conirostris darwini Rothschild & Hartert, 1899; Geospiza conirostris propinqua Ridgway, 1894

Taxon origin: Endemic

Habitat preferences: Prefers dry shrub and woodlands with large Opuntia populations.

Feeding type: Broader diet than the common cactus finch. Exploits all parts of Opuntia but also feeds on rather large seeds (e.g. those of the palo santo tree Bursera) and may strip the bark of dead branches of trees or tear open rotting Opuntia pads for arthropods.

Reproductive biology: Male displays in front of a dome shape nest built in an Opuntia cactus pad. Only females incubate (three to five eggs), both feed the chicks. Always builds nest between pads of Opuntia.

Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.

Distribution: Espanola Island.

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