Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Medium Ground Finch
Geospiza fortis
Medium Ground Finch (Geospiza fortis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Medium Ground Finch (Geospiza fortis) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 24 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Thraupidae Tanagers & Allies
- Genus Geospiza
- Species fortis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 24 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Medium Ground Finch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Medium Ground Finch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Medium Ground Finch (Geospiza fortis) is a species of bird in the Thraupidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA Galápagos.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 24 g, with a wing length of about 7.3 cm and a tail of around 4.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 7,700 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Medium Ground Finch?
The Medium Ground Finch is a small bird that weighs around 24 g.
Where does the Medium Ground Finch live?
The Medium Ground Finch is found across South America with a range covering SA Galápagos, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Medium Ground Finch belong to?
The Medium Ground Finch (Geospiza fortis) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Medium Ground Finch eat?
The Medium Ground Finch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Medium Ground Finch migrate?
The Medium Ground Finch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Medium Ground Finch endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Medium Ground Finch make?
1 real field recording of the Medium Ground Finch — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Medium Ground Finch's range?
The Medium Ground Finch has a mapped global range of about 7,700 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Thraupidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Thraupidae
A field guide to the Thraupidae family — 394 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.