Small Tree-Finch
Camarhynchus parvulus
A small Galápagos finch with a dainty bill. Bill is slightly curved on both upper and lower edges, and longer than it is deep. Male has a black hood, gray-brown upperparts, and a pale belly. Female is tan with whitish to buffy underparts. Both sexes have a variable amount of streaking on the breast. Bill is black on breeding male and orange on female and non-breeding male. Bill is smaller and less curved compared to other tree-finches. Female is similar to female Small Ground-Finch, but on that species the lower edge of bill is straight--not curved. Found on most of the larger islands, but absent from Española, Genovesa, and Marchena. Inhabits a wide range of habitats and elevations.
Identification
The small tree finch (Camarhynchus parvulus) is a bird species belonging to the Darwin's finch group within the tanager family Thraupidae. It has a grasping beak with curved culmens. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. During the non-breeding season it is known to form large groups with small ground-finches. It is an endemic species to the Galapagos islands and its conservation status has been listed as "Least Concern". However, bird counts which have been conducted since 1997 have shown a continuous decline in small tree-finch populations in the Scalesia and agricultural zones of Santa Cruz, where the small tree-finch is most abundant. Small tree-finch counts have remained stable in the transition zone (also quite abundant here) and in the less popular dry and fern zones on Santa Cruz island. This species is in particularly impacted by the larvae of the parasitic avian vampire fly (Philornis downsi).
Taxonomy
Genus: Camarhynchus; Family: Thraupidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Camarhynchus parvulus
- Authority
- (Gould, 1837)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Genus
- Camarhynchus
Range and habitat
The small tree finch is found on all the main islands except Española, Genovesa, Marchena, Darwin and Wolf. It was also absent in the most recent census (2017-2018) on Rábida, Pinta and Santa Fé islands.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Rufous-crowned Sparrow
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San Andres Vireo
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