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A medium ground finch, one of 14 species of Darwin's finches. Darwin's finches (also known as the Galapagos finches) are a group of about fifteen species of passerine birds. They are well known for their remarkable diversity in beak form and function. 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. The closest known relative of the Galapagos finches is South-American Tiaris obscurus. They were first collected by Charles Darwin on the Galapagos 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 Galapagos Islands

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Darwin's Finches, Galapagos Finches, and this particular one is a male Cactus Finch. They have different beak shapes on different islands. Darwin recognised they had a common ancestor and used the variations he saw as evidence of evolution.

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The Galapagos Mockingbird is common in the dry lowlands of the larger islands, particularly in the cactus zone and it adapts well to urbanization, being relatively common in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island for example. It is usually seen in pairs, or even singles, although after the breeding season family groups are commonly encountered.

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There are several different species which have evolved on different islands. This one on Santa Cruz.

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The long downward curved beaks on the Galapagos dove helps it feed mostly on seeds and fruits from the ground. Very reluctant to fly, it will only do so as a last resort.

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One of the worlds most widely distributed owls, the Short-eared Owl is an open country, ground-nesting species that inhabits marshes, grasslands, and tundra throughout much of North America and Eurasia. It also breeds in South American grasslands and on islands such as Iceland, the Hawaiian chain, and the Galapagos.

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Most resident populations in the Caribbean and in Central and South America breed in mangroves, although at some sites they also occur in coastal scrub or even in montane forests.

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