Galapagos Species Database

Taxon category: Accepted

Taxon origin: Endemic

Preference for an altitude zone in Galapagos: Coastal zonera - humid zone

Habitat preferences: Very common, especially in dry and transition zone but with the dispersal of many introduced grasses now breeding in all vegetation zones.

Feeding preferences: Feeds on flowers (possible important pollen vector), fruits, seeds, arthropods, and has been observed to remove ticks from iguanas and from tortoises who extend their necks and legs for that purpose.

Trophic role: Omnivorous

Reproduction mode: Exclusively sexual

Reproductive biology: Male displays in front of a dome shape nest, often built in Opuntia cacti. Only females incubate (three to five eggs), both feed the chicks.

Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.

Distribution: The species is present on all islands except Genovesa (possibly due to competition with the G. acutirostris), Darwin and Wolf (G. septentrionalis).

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