For most people, the word “vampire” brings to mind Dracula or perhaps slayers such as Blade or Buffy; or maybe even the vampire bats of South America. Few will think of a small and rather lovely bird – the finch. But there are indeed “vampire finches” that feast on the blood of much larger birds, and they were introduced to the world in a fantastic segment of Perfect Planet, the new series narrated by David Attenborough for the BBC. For us, these finches needed no introduction as we have studied them closely. These birds are found on the Galápagos Islands, a volcanic archipelago located about 1,000 km (600 miles) off the coast of Ecuador. The islands are a biodiversity hotspot in part because of their isolation. Organisms that somehow make it to the Galápagos must adapt to the harsh conditions or go extinct.