The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 1 • Page 1

Station 1classifying birds based on observation of physical structures

ObjectiveTeams will categorize birds based upon observation of physical appearance and structures.

Materials • Set of 9 bird images: Caribbean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber), Bronze-Winged Mannikin (Lonchura cucullata),

Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus), Domestic Duck (Anas domesticus), Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos), Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata), Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata), Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Procedure • Examine images of different bird species and list their physical characteristics. • Make inferences as to how closely related they are to each other and categorize them based on these inferences. • Record your rationale for placing the birds into each category. In other words, explain why you thought some

birds were more closely related than others.

The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 1 • Page 2

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 1 • Page 3

Bronze-Winged Mannikin • Lonchura cucullata©

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 1 • Page 4

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 1 • Page 5

Domestic Duck • Anas domesticus

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 1 • Page 6

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 1 • Page 7

American Crow • Corvus brachyrhynchos©

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 1 • Page 8

Zebra Finch • Taeniopygia guttata © Fasphotographic | D

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 1 • Page 9

Blue Jay • Cyanocitta cristata©

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 1 • Page 10

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 2 • Page 11

Station 2classifying birds based on beaks

ObjectiveTeams will categorize birds based upon beak length and depth. Beak length refers to the measurement from the base to tip of the beak. Beak depth refers to the measurement from top to bottom of the beak, measuring from the base of the beak.

Materials • Set of 9 bird skull images: Caribbean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber), Bronze-Winged Mannikin (Lonchura

cucullata), Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus), Domestic Duck (Anas domesticus), Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos), Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata), Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata), Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

• Metric ruler(s) • Graph paper • Colored pencils

Procedure • Measure the length and depth of beaks of the different species of birds. • Plot the length and depth measurements on a graph. • Compare and contrast the beak data as well as the observational data collected in station one. Predict what

types of food each bird would eat. • If desired, revise your classification of the birds from station one.

The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 2 • Page 12

Caribbean Flamingo • Phoenicopterus ruber© 2012 Ernest J. Ramon

The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 2 • Page 13

Bronze-Winged Mannikin • Lonchura cucullata© 2012 Ernest J. Ramon

The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 2 • Page 14

Pileated Woodpecker • Dryocopus pileatus© 2012 Ernest J. Ramon

The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 2 • Page 15

Domestic Duck • Anas domesticus© 2012 Ernest J. Ramon

The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 2 • Page 16

Peregrine Falcon • Falco peregrinus© 2012 Ernest J. Ramon

The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 2 • Page 17

American Crow • Corvus brachyrhynchos© 2012 Ernest J. Ramon

The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 2 • Page 18

Zebra Finch • Taeniopygia guttata© 2012 Ernest J. Ramon

The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 2 • Page 19

Blue Jay • Cyanocitta cristata© 2012 Ernest J. Ramon

The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 2 • Page 20

Northern Cardinal • Cardinalis cardinalis© 2012 Ernest J. Ramon

The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 3 • Page 21

Station 3classifying birds based on niche

ObjectiveTeams will classify birds based upon the niche they occupy in their island habitat. The function of the beak (which corresponds to their niche) will be simulated using common tools and a variety of food items.

Materials• Common tools (representing different beak shapes)• Items of various sizes and shapes (representing different foods)• Stop watch

Procedure • Assign a “bird” who will use the tools to pick up scattered food during a given time period. Assign a “timekeeper”

to time 20-second foraging periods, noting start/stop. Assign a “recorder” to record the beak type (tool), total number and variety of food items scattered before foraging, total number and variety of food items collected.

• Have the student assigned as the bird turn away while team members scatter the food on a substrate. Be creative when setting up the substrate and scattering food. Consider texture, color and then begin foraging!

• After foraging, answer the following questions. If time permits, create charts and/or graphs to organize the data. 1) Which beak picked up the most food items? Why? 2) Which beak picked up the fewest food items? Why? 3) Based on the food items present in the habitat, what kind of bird would be most successful living in this

habitat? Please explain your answer. 4) If the food items represented insects, which insects would be at an advantage in this habitat? Please

explain your answer.

The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 4 • Page 22

Station 4classifying birds based on variation in dna sequence data

ObjectiveYour team will classify birds based on the amount of variation between birds’ DNA. Physical appearance and structures can be subjective and lead us to make incorrect inferences about relatedness of species.

Materials • Set of 6 bird images: Caribbean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber), Galah (Eolophus roseicapill), Great Crested Grebe

(Podiceps cristatus), Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja), Grey Tinamou (Tinamus tao)

• Set of corresponding DNA sequences (in envelope)

Procedure • Examine the Flamingo image and record observations of its physical characteristics. • Compare other bird images with the Flamingo and rank the birds in order from most related to most distantly

related to the Flamingo. Record your rationale for the ranking. • Open the envelope containing the DNA sequences. Find the Flamingo DNA sequence and then compare the

other birds’ DNA to the Flamingo’s. Rank order the other birds as most closely related to most distantly related to the Flamingo based on DNA. Record your ranking.

• Record responses to the following questions: Was your ranking of relatedness based on physical characteristics different from your ranking based on DNA? Which method do you believe is more valid? Why?

• Return the DNA sequences to the envelope for the next group.

The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 4 • Page 23

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 4 • Page 24

Galah • Eolophus roseicapill©

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 4 • Page 25

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 4 • Page 26

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 4 • Page 27

Roseate Spoonbill • Platalea ajaja

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 4 • Page 28

Grey Tinamou • Tinamus tao

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 4 • Page 29

C G G C A A G T T C G T A A T C C T C GCaribbean Flamingo • Phoenicopterus ruber

C G G C A A G C T C G T G A T C C T C GGreat Crested Grebe • Podiceps cristatus

T G C T G G C C C G C T T G C G T C T TGrey Tinamou • Tinamus tao

T G C C G C G C T C C T A C C A C G T ARoseate Spoonbill • Platalea ajaja

T A A A A T A G T T A T C T C T A A A CNorthern Cardinal • Cardinalis cardinalis

T A A T A T A G T T A T C T C T G A G TGalah • Eolophus roseicapilla

The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 5 • Page 30

Station 5answering the research question

ObjectiveUsing DNA sequence data from 15 bird species, your team will form a conclusion as to whether Darwin’s finches are actually finches.

Materials • Set of 15 bird images and corresponding DNA sequences: Darwin’s Finches (5 species), True Finches (5 species),

and Tanagers (5 species)

Procedure • Examine Darwin’s Finches carefully. • Then examine True Finches and Tanagers against Darwin’s Finches. Which group of birds is more closely

related to Darwin’s Finches? Why? Consider various lines of evidence: 1) physical characteristics, 2) structural morphology, and 3) behavior/niche.

• Now look at the DNA. • As a team, develop an evidence-based conclusion answering the question, are Darwin’s Finches really finches?

Record your team’s conclusion and rationale.

The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 5 • Page 31

Darwin’s Finches

Large Ground Finch • Geospiza magnirostris

Vegetarian Finch • Platyspiza crassirostris

Small Tree Finch • Camarhynchus parvulus

Medium Ground Finch • Geospiza fortis

Warbler Finch • Certhidea olivacea

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 5 • Page 32

True Finches

House Finch • Carpodacus mexicanus

Pine Siskin • Carduelis pinus

Common Crossbill • Loxia curvirostra

Cassin’s Finch • Carpodacus cassinii

American Gold Finch • Carduelis tristis

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 5 • Page 33

Tanagers

Grass-Green Tanager • Chloronis riefferii

Blue and Yellow Tanager • Thraupis bonariensis

Puerto Rican Bullfinch • Loxigilla portoricensis

Cuban Bullfinch • Melopyrrha nigra

Bananaquit • Coereba flaveola

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 5 • Page 34

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 5 • Page 35

True Finches

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The Field Museum • Chicago Center for Systems Biology The Case of Darwin’s Finches • Student Pages • Station 5 • Page 36

Tanagers

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