Darwin’s finches, birds that inhabit the Galapagos Islands, are evolving! Biologists from McGill University even think that two new species could be creating themselves. How it is possible ? Let’s take a closer look!
The Galapagos Islands are a group of islands located in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of South America. These islands are famous because they are home to many endemic species. What that means is that there are animals and plants there that are found nowhere else in the world.
Biologists from McGill University conducted a study on the appearance of new species and natural selection.
Natural selection is when traits that help animals or plants survive become more common in a population over time. It’s as if nature took all the strongest traits and gave them to babies, leaving out the weaker ones. This is how species evolve to better adapt to their environment.
For their study, the biologists focused on four types of finches living on the island of Santa Cruz, in the Galapagos. Between 2003 and 2020, they analyzed 3,400 of these birds!
Very interesting results!
Scientists noticed that there was a link between survival and the size of finches’ beaks. Eh yes ! Birds with small or large beaks would have a better chance of survival than those with medium-sized beaks… strange, right?
There is an explanation for this! This is because a small or large beak helps these birds get food, especially pollen or seeds. While those with medium-sized beaks have more difficulty feeding. They therefore live shorter lives.
And this is why two new species of finches are being formed! Those with medium beaks, over time, divide into two new species: those with longer beaks, and those with shorter beaks! This is natural selection at work!
In short: if a bird with a medium beak is born with a slightly smaller beak, it can find food more easily. This increases its chances of having babies, who will also inherit a smaller beak. This process repeats until a new species is officially established. It’s the same for birds that have longer beaks!
If the news is confirmed, these new species will still have to be named. Do you have any ideas ?
Marilys Beaudoin, based on an article by Pauline Gravel
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