Darwins Finches – Set of twelve Skulls

$900.00

Darwin’s finches (also known as the Galápagos finches) are a group of about 18 species of passerine birds. They are well known for their remarkable diversity in beak form and function.

SKU: CADW0001

Description

Darwins Finches – Set of twelve Skull Replicas (also known as the Galápagos finches) are a group of about fifteen species of passerine birds. All bird skulls are 2-part skull (separate cranium and jaw), museum quality polyurethane resin cast. Made in USA.

They are often classified as the subfamily Geospizinae or tribe Geospizini. They belong to the tanager family and are not closely related to the true finches. They were first collected by Charles Darwin on the Galápagos Islands during the second voyage of the Beagle. Apart from the Cocos finch, which is from Cocos Island, the others are found only on the Galápagos Islands.

The term “Darwin’s finches” was first applied by Percy Lowe in 1936, and popularised in 1947 by David Lack in his book Darwin’s Finches. Lack based his analysis on the large collection of museum specimens collected by the 1905–1906 Galápagos expedition of the California Academy of Sciences. The birds vary in size from 10 to 20 cm and weigh between 8 and 38 grams.

The smallest are the warbler-finches and the largest is the vegetarian finch. The most important differences between species are in the size and shape of their beaks, which are highly adapted to different food sources. The birds are all dull-colored.

A long term study carried out for more than 40 years by the Princeton University researchers Peter and Rosemary Grant has documented evolutionary changes in beak size affected by El Niño/La Niña cycles in the Pacific.

Darwins Finches – Set of twelve Skulls include:

CA57868 Common Cactus Finch Skull. Geospiza Scandens intermedia. Galapagos islans, Ecuador Santa Cruz Island; Academy bay. Field#2017. date 1941-11-30

CA86303 Large Ground Finch Male Skull. Geospiza magnirostris. Genovesa island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Darwin Bay. Field#RIB1510. date 1962-02-18

CA86413 Medium Ground Finch Skull. Geospiza fortis. Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos islans, Ecuador, Academy Bay. Field#RIB317. Date 1952-12-08.

CA86474 Small Ground Finch Skull. Geospiza fuliginosa Santiago Island. Galapagos islans, Ecuador, James Bay. Field#RIB1581. Date 1967-02-02.

CA86587 Sharp-Beaked Ground Finch Skull. Geospizadiffcils. Genovesa Island, Galapagos islans, Ecuador Darwin Bay. Field#RIB1516. Date 1962-02-20.

CA86661 Large Cactus Finch Skull. Geospiza conirostris conirostris. Espanola Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Punta Suarex. Field#SLB406. Date 1962-01-15.

CA86716 Vegetarin Finch Skull. Platyspiza crassirostris. Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, 1.5 mil S of Fortuna. Field#RIB585. Date 1953-01-31.

CA86755 Large Tree Finch Skull. Camarhynchus ppsittacula. Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Kastdalen Farm. Field#RIB608B. Date 1953-01-31.

CA86791 Medium Tree Finch Skull. Camarhynchus pauper. Floreana Island, Galopagos Islands, Ecuador, Wittmer Farm. Field#RIB

CA86843 Small Tree Finch Skull. Camarhynchus parvulus salvini. San Cristobal Island, Galopagos Islands, Ecuador, Wreck Bay. Field#RIB1605. Date 1967-02-09.

CA86910 Green Warbler Finch Skull. Certhidea oilvacea Santa Cruz Island, Galopagos Islands, Ecuador, horneman Farm, 5 mi.N Acad Bay. Field#SLB560. Date 1964-02-16.

CA90653 Woodpecker Finch Skull. Camarhynchus pallidus. Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Horneman’s Farm 5 mi. N Acad Bay. Field#RIB544. Date 1953-01-17.

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Additional information

Weight 7 lbs
Darwins Finches Facts:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Thraupidae
Genera

Geospiza
Camarhynchus
Platyspiza
Certhidea
Pinaroloxias
Large ground finch, Medium ground finch
Small tree finch, Green warbler-finch