Birds fight alien parasites: Darwin's finches develop antibodies to flies, pox virus
Thursday, January 7, 2010 - 01:28
in Biology & Nature
Unlike Hawaii and other island groups, no native bird has gone extinct in the Galapagos Islands, although some are in danger. Biologists have found that finches -- the birds Darwin studied -- develop antibodies against two parasites that moved to the Galapagos, suggesting the birds can fight the alien invaders.