Question

How are the Hawaiian honeycreepers an example of adaptive radiation?

There were a large variety of honeycreepers that first inhabited the island. They found many different niches, so they were all able to survive.


The honeycreepers that first inhabited the island were able to adapt as the island changed, so that population of birds was able to survive.


There was a diversification of honeycreepers (each with different beak shapes) to help fill various ecological niches.

Answer 1

Answer: In adaptive radiation, many different species evolve from a single ancestor species. Each new species evolves to exploit a different niche, such as food source. In the example above, Hawaiian honeycreepers evolved a range of bill forms in response to available food sources on the Hawaiian archipelago. The honeycreepers dispersed from one founder species, and evolved in response to natural selection based on different food sources in their isolated habitats provided by water. Seed-eating birds evolved thick, short beaks.