Camarhynchus pauper
The Medium Tree Finch, *Camarhynchus pauper*, is a small passerine endemic to Floreana Island in the Galápagos, renowned as one of Darwin's Finches. Measuring approximately 12-13 cm (4.7-5.1 inches) in length and weighing around 12-14 grams, it is characterized by its relatively short, deep, and slightly conical beak, intermediate in size between the Small and Large Tree Finches, which is a key identification feature. Adult males exhibit dusky black plumage on the head, throat, and breast, co...
Primarily found in the humid, evergreen Miconia scrub and Scalesia forests of Floreana Island's highlands, typically above 200 meters elevation. It prefers dense, undisturbed native vegetation.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on small arthropods, larvae, and pupae gleaned from leaves, branches, and under bark. They occasionally consume some plant matter, including small fruits and seeds.
Medium Tree Finches are active foragers, spending their days meticulously gleaning insects from foliage and bark in the dense forest canopy. They are largely arboreal, rarely descending to the ground. During the non-breeding season, they may form loose, small mixed-species flocks, but pairs becom...
The Medium Tree Finch, *Camarhynchus pauper*, is entirely endemic to Floreana Island in the Galápagos Archipelago, Ecuador. Its historical range encompassed the humid highlands of the island, primarily in areas with native *Scalesia pedunculata* forest and *Miconia robinsoniana* shrubland. Howeve...
Critically Endangered
- The Medium Tree Finch is one of the iconic "Darwin's Finches," a group whose diverse beak shapes famously inspired Charles Darwin's theories of natural selection. - It is endemic to a single island, Floreana, making it exceptionally vulnerable to localized threats and a flagship species for isl...