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The woodpecker finch is a monomorphic species of bird in the Darwin's finch group of the tanager family Thraupidae, endemic to the Galapagos Islands. The diet of a woodpecker finch revolves mostly around invertebrates, but also encompasses a variety of seeds. Woodpecker finches, like many other species of birds, form breeding pairs and care for young until they have fledged. The most distinctive characteristic of woodpecker finches is their ability to use tools for foraging. This behaviour indicates that they have highly specialized cognitive abilities. Woodpecker finches have also shown the ability to learn new behaviours regarding tool use via social learning. Not all populations of…
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
Woodpecker finches range in weight from 23 to 29 g (0.81 to 1.02 oz) and are about 15 cm (5.9 in) long. Although their tongues are quite short, they have a relatively long bill compared to other species of Darwin's finches.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
When to see it
Peak activity in June · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Large Tree FinchCamarhynchus psittaculaThe large tree finch is a species of bird in the Darwin's finch group of the tanager family Thraupidae.
Medium Tree FinchCamarhynchus pauperThe medium tree finch is a species of Darwin's finch.
Learn the Woodpecker Finch for real
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