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Large Ground-Finch
Geospiza magnirostris
Silhouette: Ryan Cupo · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyThraupidae (Tanagers and Allies)
- GenusGeospiza (Ground-Finches and Cactus-Finches)
- SpeciesGeospiza magnirostris (Large Ground-Finch)
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
1,602 Verified sightings at Galápagos Islands From 2019 to 2026
1,602 In 1 park
August Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted
About the Large Ground-Finch
The large ground finch (Geospiza magnirostris) is a species of bird in the genus Geospiza. One of Darwin's finches, it is now placed in the tanager family Thraupidae and was formerly in the Emberizidae. It is the largest species of Darwin's finch.
The large ground finch weighs about 27–39 g (0.95–1.38 oz), and its length ranges slightly 15–16 cm (5.9–6.3 in). It is the largest species of Darwin's finch both in total size and size of beak. The feather and bill colors vary between males and females. The adult male is mostly black, with slightly browner wings and tail; the cloaca is white-streaked; the eyes are dark brown. It also has blackish legs. The tail is relatively short. An adult female has browner feathers compared to a male, sometimes with yellow-brown or grey outer edges; scaled patterns are found going up the body; most parts of the torso and the head are streaked with brown and pale yellow shades.
It has a large beak, having a thick base of lower mandibles and curved culmen. It allows the bird to feed on large seeds and insects, but also to crack and consume nuts. Thanks to its versatile beak, the large ground finch often has a variety of food... Wikipedia →
Sounds
Song0:24
Ecuador · 2018
© Charlie Vogt · XC443178 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Recent sightings of Large Ground-Finch in Galápagos Islands
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Galápagos Islands | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Closest Relatives at Galápagos Islands
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Large Ground-Finch in Galápagos Islands?
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Large Ground-Finch sighting in Galápagos Islands on a given day, based on 1,602 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 40th most-seen of the 114 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Large Ground-Finch in Galápagos Islands?
January and June–November
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Large Ground-Finch in Galápagos Islands on a given day, against about 10% in February–May and December, the lowest months.
What time of day is best to see a Large Ground-Finch?
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Large Ground-Finch sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Where else can you see a Large Ground-Finch?
Only Galápagos Islands, in our data
Galápagos Islands is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Large Ground-Finch sightings: about 20% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Which relatives of the Large Ground-Finch live in Galápagos Islands?
Same genus: Geospiza
The closest relatives of the Large Ground-Finch that you can see in Galápagos Islands (genus Geospiza, Ground-Finches and Cactus-Finches) are Small Ground-Finch (about 70%), Medium Ground-Finch (about 50%) and Common Cactus-Finch (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the Large Ground-Finch sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Large Ground-Finch is recorded against all the birds logged in Galápagos Islands (1,602 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
