Description of birds Darwin found on the Galapagos

You read an ornithologist's description of birds native to the Galapagos

In the early 19th century, Charles Darwin described 26 species of birds on the Galapagos islands. 25 of them weren't found anywhere else.

When he brought back specimens to Britain, an ornithologist identified 13 of the Galapagos bird species as finches. Finches generally have strong wide beaks for crushing seeds. Cardinals, goldfinches, and canaries are all finches.

In the picture a cardinal, a finch that's common in North America, is getting ready to crunch some sunflower seeds.

"Darwin's finches" on the Galapagos all look somewhat alike. They are dull-colored birds. Their bills are very different, though. Some of them have large, strong bills, used for crushing and eating seeds. Others have long bills used for eating insects, or long thin bills used for getting nectar from flowers.

Source: The Panda's Thumb
Author: S.J. Gould
Date: 1980