Darwin’s Finches

Darwin’s Discovery

• Darwin’s finches are named after Charles Darwin.

• In September 1835, Darwin found many new birds

on the Galapagos Islands.

• He took some back with him to England and

studied them with ornithologist John Gould.

• He discovered that 12 of these birds were new species.

• It has recently been discovered that the green warbler-finch is a separate species to the
grey warbler-finch, so there are 13 different species.

• These birds are not finches – they are types of blackbirds or mockingbirds.

• These birds looked like finches from the main island, but they all had different beaks.

Common Ancestor Natural Selection

• Darwin decided that these bird species all
had a common ancestor.
• These finches led Charles
• Millions of years ago, this ancestor species Darwin to come up with the
spread across the Galapagos Islands. It split idea of natural selection.
into groups around the islands. Some ate
• Natural selection explains
seeds from the ground and others ate insects
that animals that can
in trees.
adapt to an environment
• Over many years, each bird’s beak adapted are more likely to have
to better catch and eat their food. They soon babies.
became different species.
• Their babies will then have
the same adaptations as
their parents, like Darwin’s
finches and their different
beaks.

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 Darwin's Finches

Darwin’s Finches Beak Type Habitat Diet

common cactus sharp, pointed and throughout the cactus, flower

finch long Galapagos Islands nectar and fruit

green warbler-finch thin and short highland forests insects

dry forests and

grey warbler-finch slender and short insects within bark
shrublands
sharp, pointed and cactus, flower
large cactus finch shrublands
thick nectar and fruit
throughout the
large ground finch large and thick nuts and seeds
Galapagos Islands
insects, spiders and
large tree finch thick and strong forests
seeds
downward curved
mangrove finch mangroves insects within bark
and thin
medium ground throughout the
short and thick seeds
finch Galapagos Islands
seeds, insects and
medium tree finch curved highlands
nectar
sharp-beaked forests and seeds and seabird
sharp and short
ground finch shrublands blood
small, curved and throughout the
small ground finch insects
pointed Galapagos Islands
forests and
small tree finch short and curved insects
shrublands
long, thin and can highland forests
woodpecker finch insects and spiders
hold tools like sticks and arid areas

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 Darwin’s Finches
Questions
1. Who found the finches on the Galapagos Islands?

2. How many species of Darwin’s finches are there?

3. Finish this sentence: Darwin’s finches all have different…

4. Darwin’s finches helped Darwin to come up with what?

Look at the table at the end of the fact file to answer these questions.

5. What does the large ground finch eat?

6. What kind of beaks are best for catching and eating insects?

7. The sharp-beaked ground finch is also known as the vampire finch. Why do you think that
is?

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 Darwin’s Finches
Answers
1. Who discovered the finches on the Galapagos Islands?
Charles Darwin discovered the finches on the Galapagos Islands.

2. How many species of Darwin’s finches are there?

There are 13 species of Darwin’s finches.

3. Finish this sentence: Darwin’s finches all have different…

beaks.

4. Darwin’s finches helped Darwin to come up with what?

The finches helped Darwin to come up with the idea of natural selection.

5. What does the large ground finch eat?

The large ground finch eats nuts and seeds.

6. What kind of beaks are best for catching and eating insects?
According to the table, most of the finches that have small, thin and curved beaks are
good at catching and eating insects.

7. The sharp-beaked ground finch is also known as the vampire finch. Why do you think
that is?
Sharp-beaked ground finches consist of a diet of seeds and seabird blood. Since they
have short and sharp beaks, it seems like they may use their beaks to cut seabirds
and drink their blood. This is very similar to the mythology of vampires and how they
drink blood.

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 Darwin’s Finches
Charles Darwin’s study of 13 species of finches on the
Galapagos Islands changed the way we understand
evolution.

Darwin’s finches are named after biologist and

naturalist Charles Darwin. While on a trip to the
Galapagos Islands in September 1835, Darwin came
across many birds that he had not seen before. He took
some back with him to England so that he could study
them with ornithologist John Gould.

It was discovered that 12 of these birds were new species.

Despite their name, these birds are not finches – they are types of
blackbirds or mockingbirds. In recent years, it has been discovered that the green
warbler-finch is a separate species to the grey warbler-finch, so there are 13 different
species of Darwin’s finches. These birds all looked similar to the mainland finches, but
with one major difference – their beaks. Each species of Darwin’s finches had a beak that
was adapted to eating their chosen food.

Darwin decided that these bird species all These finches led Charles
had a common ancestor species. Millions Darwin to come up
of years ago, this ancestor species spread with the idea of natural
across the Galapagos Islands. It split into selection.
groups that lived in different habitats and
Natural selection explains
ate different types of food.
that animals that can
adapt to an environment
This included ground-dwelling seed
are more likely to have
eaters and birds that lived in the trees
babies. Their babies
– some eating seeds and others eating
will then have the same
insects. Over generations, each bird’s beak
adaptations as their
adapted to better catch and eat their
parents, like Darwin’s
food. Eventually, they all became different
finches and their different
species throughout the Galapagos Islands.
beaks.

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 Darwin's Finches

Darwin’s Finches Beak Type Habitat Diet

common cactus sharp, pointed and throughout the cactus, flower

finch long Galapagos Islands nectar and fruit

green warbler-finch thin and short highland forests insects

dry forests and

grey warbler-finch slender and short insects within bark
shrublands
sharp, pointed and cactus, flower
large cactus finch shrublands
thick nectar and fruit
throughout the
large ground finch large and thick nuts and seeds
Galapagos Islands
insects, spiders and
large tree finch thick and strong forests
seeds
downward curved
mangrove finch mangroves insects within bark
and thin
medium ground throughout the
short and thick seeds
finch Galapagos Islands
seeds, insects and
medium tree finch curved highlands
nectar
sharp-beaked forests and seeds and seabird
sharp and short
ground finch shrublands blood
small, curved and throughout the
small ground finch insects
pointed Galapagos Islands
forests and
small tree finch short and curved insects
shrublands
long, thin and can highland forests
woodpecker finch insects and spiders
hold tools like sticks and arid areas

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 Darwin’s Finches
Questions
1. Who discovered the finches on the Galapagos Islands?

2. How many species of Darwin’s finches are there?

3. What special adaptation do all of the different Darwin’s finches have?

4. How did Darwin’s finches all become separate species?

Look at the table at the end of the fact file to answer these questions.

5. Why does the large ground finch have a large and thick beak?

6. What kind of beaks are best for catching and eating insects?

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 Darwin’s Finches
Questions
7. The sharp-beaked ground finch is also known as the vampire finch. Why do you think that
is?

8. Choose a finch from the table. Using the information provided, explain the reasoning
behind that finch’s name.

Page 2 of 2 visit twinkl.com.au

 Darwin’s Finches
Answers
1. Who discovered the finches on the Galapagos Islands?
Charles Darwin discovered the finches on the Galapagos Islands.

2. How many species of Darwin’s finches are there?

There are 13 species of Darwin’s finches.

3. What special adaptation do all of the different Darwin’s finches have?

All of Darwin’s finches have specially adapted beaks.

4. How did Darwin’s finches all become separate species?

Darwin’s finches all came from a common ancestor. Over time, the common ancestor
species spread to different areas of the Galapagos Islands and ate different food.
Eventually, each species adapted so well to their niche that they became different
species.

5. Why does the large ground finch have a large and thick beak?
The large ground finch has adapted to having a large, thick beak in order to crush and
eat seeds and nuts.

6. What kind of beaks are best for catching and eating insects?
According to the table, most of the finches that have small, thin and curved beaks are
adept at catching and eating insects.

7. The sharp-beaked ground finch is also known as the vampire finch. Why do you think
that is?
Sharp-beaked ground finches consist of a diet of seeds and seabird blood. Since they
have short and sharp beaks, it seems like they may use their beaks to cut seabirds
and drink their blood. This is very similar to the mythology of vampires and how they
drink blood.

8. Choose a finch from the table. Using the information provided, explain the reasoning
behind that finch’s name.
Answers will vary for this question.

visit twinkl.com.au
 Darwin’s Finches
Charles Darwin’s study of 13 species of finches on
the Galapagos Islands revolutionised the way we
understand evolution.

Darwin’s finches are named after biologist and

naturalist Charles Darwin. While on a trip to the
Galapagos Islands in September 1835, Darwin came
across many birds that he did not recognise. He took
specimens back with him to England so that he could
study them with ornithologist John Gould.

It was discovered that 12 of these birds were new species.

Despite their name, these birds are not finches – they are
considered to be types of blackbirds or mockingbirds. In recent years, it has been
discovered that the green warbler-finch is a separate species to the grey warbler-finch, so
there are technically 13 different species of Darwin’s finches.These birds all looked similar
to the mainland finches, but with one major difference – their beaks. Each species of
Darwin’s finches had a beak that was specially adapted to eating their chosen food.

Darwin concluded that these bird species

all had a common ancestor species. These finches led Charles
Millions of years ago, this ancestor species Darwin to come up with
spread across the Galapagos Islands, the concept of natural
separating into groups that lived in selection. Natural selection
different habitats and ate different types explains that organisms
of food. This included ground-dwelling that can adapt to survive
seed eaters and birds that lived in the in their environment are
trees – some eating seeds and others more likely to have babies.
eating insects. Over generations, each Their babies will then
bird’s beak adapted to better catch and have the same adaptations
eat their food. Eventually, they all became as their parents, like
separate species filling different niches Darwin’s finches and their
throughout the Galapagos Islands. different beaks.

Page 1 of 2 visit twinkl.com.au

 Darwin's Finches

Darwin’s Finches Beak Type Habitat Diet

common cactus sharp, pointed and throughout the cactus, flower

finch long Galapagos Islands nectar and fruit

green warbler-finch thin and short highland forests insects

dry forests and

grey warbler-finch slender and short insects within bark
shrublands
sharp, pointed and cactus, flower
large cactus finch shrublands
thick nectar and fruit
throughout the
large ground finch large and thick nuts and seeds
Galapagos Islands
insects, spiders and
large tree finch thick and strong forests
seeds
downward curved
mangrove finch mangroves insects within bark
and thin
medium ground throughout the
short and thick seeds
finch Galapagos Islands
seeds, insects and
medium tree finch curved highlands
nectar
sharp-beaked forests and seeds and seabird
sharp and short
ground finch shrublands blood
small, curved and throughout the
small ground finch insects
pointed Galapagos Islands
forests and
small tree finch short and curved insects
shrublands
long, thin and can highland forests
woodpecker finch insects and spiders
hold tools like sticks and arid areas

Page 2 of 2 visit twinkl.com.au

 Darwin’s Finches
Questions
1. Who discovered the finches on the Galapagos Islands?

2. How many species of Darwin’s finches are there?

3. What types of birds are Darwin’s finches?

4. What special adaptation do all of the different Darwin’s finches have?

5. How did Darwin’s finches all become separate species?

6. What is natural selection?

Look at the table at the end of the fact file to answer these questions.

7. Why does the large ground finch have a large and thick beak?

Page 1 of 2 visit twinkl.com.au

 Darwin’s Finches
Questions
8. What kind of beaks are best for catching and eating insects?

9. The sharp-beaked ground finch is also known as the vampire finch. Why do you think that
is?

10. Choose a finch from the table. Using the information provided, explain the reasoning
behind that finch’s name.

Page 2 of 2 visit twinkl.com.au

 Darwin’s Finches
Answers
1. Who discovered the finches on the Galapagos Islands?
Charles Darwin discovered the finches on the Galapagos Islands.

2. How many species of Darwin’s finches are there?

There are 13 species of Darwin’s finches.

3. What types of birds are Darwin’s finches?

Darwin’s finches are not actually finches, they are blackbirds or mockingbirds.

4. What special adaptation do all of the different Darwin’s finches have?

All of Darwin’s finches have specially adapted beaks.

5. How did Darwin’s finches all become separate species?

Darwin’s finches all came from a common ancestor. Over time, the common ancestor
species spread to different areas of the Galapagos Islands and ate different food.
Eventually, each species adapted so well to their niche that they became different
species.

6. What is natural selection?

Natural selection is the idea that organisms that adapt to survive in their
environment will have babies that can also adapt to the same environment.

7. Why does the large ground finch have a large and thick beak?
The large ground finch has adapted to having a large, thick beak in order to crush and
eat seeds and nuts.

8. What kind of beaks are best for catching and eating insects?
According to the table, most of the finches that have small, thin and curved beaks are
adept at catching and eating insects.

9. The sharp-beaked ground finch is also known as the vampire finch. Why do you think
that is?
Sharp-beaked ground finches consist of a diet of seeds and seabird blood. Since they
have short and sharp beaks, it seems like they may use their beaks to cut seabirds
and drink their blood. This is very similar to the mythology of vampires and how they
drink blood.

10. Choose a finch from the table. Using the information provided, explain the reasoning
behind that finch’s name.
Answers will vary for this question.

visit twinkl.com.au