Woodpecker Finch: Santa Cruz Island

Paul Demkovich

We spent 8 days in the Galápagos Islands traveling to 10 islands, looking for the special birds on each.

We really had to work to find and identify the various Darwin Finches, including this Woodpecker Finch. The Woodpecker Finch is one of the few non-human animals in the world known to use tools, breaking off twigs or cactus spines to probe into tree bark and pry out hidden insect grubs and larvae. We watched them foraging in moss and bark, but did not observe any tool use.

There are three species of Woodpecker Finches, each located on a different Galapagos island. The Woodpecker Finches found on Santa Cruz are the species Camarhynchus pallidus striatipecta.

Woodpecker Finch: Santa Cruz Island

Woodpecker Finch: Isabela Island