Green Warbler-Finch
Certhidea olivacea
Small, slender-billed Galápagos finch. Best identified by its thin bill, brownish-gray plumage, and the island on which it is seen. Male sometimes has a faint, orange wash on throat and face. Inhabits the central and western islands of Santa Cruz, Baltra, Santiago, Rábida, Pinzón, Isabela, and Fernandina. Not found together with the very similar Gray Warbler-Finch. Might be mistaken for a young female Yellow Warbler (some of which show only a trace of yellow), but note more finch-like bill and shorter tail. Lives in a variety of wooded habitats, but most common in humid highland forest.
Identification
The green warbler-finch (Certhidea olivacea) is a species of bird, one of Darwin's finches (which are mainly found in the Galápagos Islands) in the tanager family Thraupidae. Sometimes classified in the family Emberizidae, more recent studies have shown it to belong in the tanager family. When Darwin collected it in 1835 during the Beagle survey expedition he mistakenly thought it was a wren, but on return to England he was informed in March 1837 by the ornithologist John Gould that the bird was in the group of finches. It is endemic to the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. This species is closely related to the grey warbler-finch, and the two were formerly considered conspecific, but both species differ in appearance, distribution, habitat, and song. Holding a distinctive place in the evolutionary history of Galápagos finches, phylogenetic studies suggest that the warbler-finches represent one of the earliest branches in the radiation of Galápagos finches, diverging prior to the more well-known ground finches and tree finches. With its slender, pointed beak adapted for capturing insects, the green warbler-finch occupies a unique ecological niche within the Galápagos archipelago. As such, the green warbler-finch serves as a crucial species for understanding the evolutionary processes that have shaped the remarkable avian diversity found in this iconic ecosystem.
Taxonomy
Genus: Certhidea; Family: Thraupidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Certhidea olivacea
- Authority
- Gould, 1837
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Genus
- Certhidea
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Purple Sunbird
Cinnyris asiaticus
The breeding male is a metallic blue and purple overall with maroon feathers on the breast. The female is olive above and yellow below. The nonbreeding male of this species is primarily olive-brown with blackish upperparts and yellow underparts with blue-black band running down the throat and chest. Females can be distinguished from female Purple-rumped Sunbirds by its yellow (not grayish) throat. Seen in pairs, feeding chiefly on nectar, but they also take insects. Breeding males display by fluttering their wings in front of females while singing. They are found in gardens, cultivated areas, and forests.
Straw-tailed Whydah
Vidua fischeri
A nest parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of Purple Grenadiers. As with other whydahs, breeding males are spectacular, whereas non-breeding males and females are drab. Breeding males are mostly black, with golden-buff coloring on the cap, the belly, and the elongated central tail feathers. Non-breeding males and females have a brownish back, a golden-buff head, and a red bill. Found in rather dry savanna and cultivated areas. Non-breeding male and female can be identified by their red bill and their almost unmarked plain buff head. Not very vocal, but does imitate Purple Grenadier, and gives a quick jumble of high-pitched whistled notes.
Lesser Rhea
Rhea pennata
This flightless South American relative of the ostriches stands about 5 feet tall with a body about the size of a sheep; no similar species in its range. Rheas roam widely on open Patagonian steppe and also occur locally in open habitats of the Andes, mainly at very high elevations. Can be confiding where used to people, but in other areas wary, running strongly and quickly. Rheas occur singly or in groups, and males take care of the young. Adults have bold pale spots on the body, first-year birds are plainer overall.
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