While spending time studying species on the Galapagos Islands Charles Darwin noticed some considerable differences between the finches varying from island to island. “Charles Darwin was the first to see reason in the creation of different species, instead of just assuming they appeared out of nothingness.”(Darwin 169). Darwin was also the first to understand and correctly explain how these differences occurred. “Although Darwin understood why there were these differences in the birds, and that they were passed down from parents to offspring, he couldn’t explain why.”(Darwin 40-41) Characteristics of finches varied from island to island based on the available resources (such as food), these variations were explained by Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. Before Darwin studied animals at the Galapagos Islands, most scientists believed that evolution took place over a few generations. Opposing this, Darwin stated that evolution took place over thousands of years. He also stated that genes were passed down from adaptations of the parents, to offspring. “Because of his studies on the Galapagos finches, Darwin theorized that evolution took place over thousands of years, as opposed to what was formerly theorized by Lamarck (another scientist who studied evolution), that species made major changes over the course of just a few generations.”(Darwin 1445-6). Darwin also concluded that changes in species took place through the genetic characteristics of a population. As one group of finches moved to a new island, there population would change, and adapt to their new surroundings and available foods. “Darwin’s findings also state that a change in a species happens as the balance of genetic characteristics changes across that population.” (Petren 222). Because Darwin understood how the differences in the finches occurred, he created his theory of evolution by natural selection. “Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection, “Darwinism” said that the species changed as those who were better equipped for survival created offspring, and those who were less equipped died out.”(De Camp 221). The beaks of the finches varied from island to island based on the types of food they found on their specific area. Finches with a taste for cactus seeds had longer more pointed beaks. Finches with stout shorter beaks were better suited for eating ground seeds, while finches which had sharper more slender beaks were better suited for eating insects. In all the species separated themselves into fourteen different groups with different beaks, songs, and food preferences. “Darwin noticed that the different shapes of their beaks reflected the types of food found in the area they lived in. This observation was very important for the development of his theory of evolution by natural selection.”(Petren 223).
Work cited
Petron, Kenneth. "Galápagos Finches." Galápagos Finches. N.p., 2011. Web.
Darwin, Charles. “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection: Or, The Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life.” New York: Heritage, 1963. Print.
De Camp, L. Sprague and De Camp, Catherine Crook. “Darwin and His Great Discovery”,. New York: Macmillan, 1972. Print.
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