G. fuliginosa Skull or Small Ground Finch is museum quality polyurethane cast. Small Ground Finch Skull is made in USA. One of Darwin’s Finches

The G. fuliginosa or Small ground finch is a species of bird in the tanager family Thraupidae.

Endemic to the Galápagos Islands, it is common and widespread in shrubland, woodland, and other habitats on most islands in the archipelago.

The G. fuliginosa or Small ground finch is one of Darwin’s finches, a group of closely related birds which evolved on the Galápagos Islands. The group is related to the Tiaris grassquits, which are found in South America and the Caribbean.

The small ground finch is the smallest of the ground finches, measuring 4.3 in. in length. Its beak is short and pointed, with a slightly curved culmen. On average, its beak is smaller than that of the medium ground finch.

The male G. fuliginosa or Small ground finch is black with white-tipped undertail coverts, while the female and young are brown with streaked underparts.

There are observable phenotypic differences between finches that live in lowlands and ones that live in highlands, and this change is most likely attributed to adaptation.

The finches seen in highlands have larger, more pointed beaks and smaller feet and claws compared to the lowland variety.

Like all but one of the other Darwin’s finches, the small ground finch is endemic to the Galápagos Islands. Abundant and widespread, it is found on every island in the archipelago except for the Genovesa, Wolf and Darwin islands.

It is most common in arid coastal and transition areas, though it moves into the highlands following the breeding season.

The small ground finch is an omnivore with a preference for vegetable matter. It feeds primarily on the ground or in low vegetation, eating seeds, buds, flowers, leaves and the occasional insect.

It forms symbiotic relationships with Galápagos tortoises and both marine and Galápagos land iguanas by gleaning parasites from their skins.

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