Photo: Putneymark / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Small Ground Finch
Geospiza fuliginosa
Small Ground Finch (Geospiza fuliginosa) — 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 Small Ground Finch (Geospiza fuliginosa) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 14.5 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 fuliginosa
Quick facts
- Weight
- 14.5 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Small 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 Small Ground Finch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Small Ground Finch (Geospiza fuliginosa) is a member of the Thraupidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA Galápagos.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 14.5 g, with a wing length of about 6.3 cm and a tail of around 3.7 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 8,302 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Small Ground Finch?
The Small Ground Finch is a very small bird that weighs around 14.5 g.
Where does the Small Ground Finch live?
The Small Ground Finch is found across South America with a range covering SA Galápagos, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Small Ground Finch belong to?
The Small Ground Finch (Geospiza fuliginosa) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Small Ground Finch eat?
The Small Ground Finch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Small Ground Finch migrate?
The Small Ground Finch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Small 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 Small Ground Finch make?
1 real field recording of the Small 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 Small Ground Finch's range?
The Small Ground Finch has a mapped global range of about 8,302 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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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.