Vampire Ground Finch

The vampire ground finch is a small bird native to the Galápagos Islands. It was considered a very distinct subspecies of the sharp-beaked ground finch endemic to Wolf and Darwin Islands. This bird earns its common name from its unusual diet. It occasionally drinks the blood of Nazca or blue-footed boobies. The sharp-beaked ground finch normally feeds on seeds and insects, but such things can often be in short supply on Darwin and Wolf. The vampire finches are found only on Wolf and Darwin, the two northernmost islands of the archipelago and remote even by Galápagos standards. Both islands are tiny, each less than a square mile, and are separated from the larger islands by 100 miles of open ocean. Typically monogamous, they breed opportunistically choosing mates. During mating season, males guard their nesting territories. The nests are small, dome-shaped, and often built in bushes or cactus plants. Egg-laying is most profuse in abundant rainfall and sufficient food. Description. The vampire finch is sexually dimorphic as typical for its genus, with the males being primarily black and the females grey with brown streaks. It has a lilting song on Wolf, a buzzing song on Darwin, and whistling calls on both islands; only on Wolf, a drawn-out, buzzing call is also uttered.

Scientific name: Geospiza difficilis septentrionalis

Order: Passeriformes

Phylum: Chordata