Camarhynchus heliobates
The Mangrove Finch (Camarhynchus heliobates) is a critically endangered passerine bird, a member of the iconic Darwin's Finches group. This small finch typically measures 13-14 cm (5.1-5.5 inches) in length and weighs between 14-20 grams. Its plumage is generally a dull olive-grey on the upperparts, contrasting with dull whitish underparts, and lacks any prominent streaking, a key field mark for identification among other drab finches. It possesses a relatively stout, pointed, and conical bil...
Exclusively found in coastal tidal mangrove forests, particularly favoring red mangroves (Rhizophora mangle), at sea level elevations.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a variety of insects, larvae, and spiders, which they glean and probe from mangrove vegetation.
Mangrove Finches are diurnal, primarily active during daylight hours, often observed foraging solitarily or in pairs. Their foraging strategy involves meticulously gleaning insects and larvae from mangrove leaves, branches, and especially probing into bark crevices and rotten wood with their spec...
The Mangrove Finch is strictly endemic to the Galápagos Islands, an archipelago within Ecuador. Historically, its range encompassed coastal mangrove forests on both Isabela and Fernandina Islands. However, its distribution has undergone a severe contraction, and the species is now restricted to j...
Critically Endangered
- The Mangrove Finch is considered the rarest of all Darwin's Finches, with a global population estimated to be fewer than 100 mature individuals. - It is one of the most geographically restricted bird species in the world, now found only in two tiny patches of mangrove on Isabela Island. - Its d...