Wing-barred Seedeater
Sporophila americana
Small seed-eating bird with a thick black bill. Male strikingly black-and-white, with much variation in extent of black breastband and white wingbars. Averages darker at western end of range (Ecuador and Peru), paler along coast of northeastern South America. Separated from other black-and-white seedeaters by dark bill, white throat and collar imparting cowled appearance. No known range overlap with similar Variable Seedeater. Females nondescript brown and very difficult to distinguish from other seedeaters, sometimes best left unidentified. Look for thick black bill with curved culmen. Found in disturbed habitats including pastures, river edges, and scrubby weedy areas. Usually in pairs or small flocks, sometimes mixed with other seedeater species.
Identification
It has a total length of approximately .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);clip-path:polygon(0px 0px,0px 0px,0px 0px);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}11 cm (4+1⁄4 in). Adult males have a relatively heavy black bill. The upperparts are black, except for a greyish rump (actually white finely streaked black, but only visible up-close) and two distinct white wing-bars (the lower often reduced). The underparts are white, except for a broad black pectoral collar (sometimes reduced and incomplete) and blackish mottling to the upper flanks. The far duller female has a brownish bill, dull buffy-olive upperparts and pale olive-ochre underparts. Juveniles resemble adult females.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Sporophila americana
- Authority
- (Gmelin, JF, 1789)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Genus
- Sporophila
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
It is found in open or semi-open grassy areas and shrub, usually in pairs or small flocks. As with other Sporophila seedeaters, it mainly feeds on seeds, but has also been observed taking flowers, buds and fruits.<p>It remains fairly common in Suriname, French Guiana and parts of Brazil, and is therefore considered to be of least concern by BirdLife International and IUCN. It is rare to uncommon in Venezuela and Guyana where threatened by trapping for the wild bird trade.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Eremopterix griseus
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