White-naped Seedeater
Sporophila fringilloides
Large seedeater with a thick white bill. Males are black above and white below. Note the white collar. Females are mostly dark brown with a whitish belly. Found in scrubby white sand forests or grassy savannas. The song consists of many different loud, fast series of musical notes: “ne-ne-ne, te-te-te, ge-ge-ge, jii-jii-jii, tué tué tué...” Most likely to be confused with Cone-billed Tanager, but there is likely no overlap in range.
Identification
The white-naped seedeater (Sporophila fringilloides) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. Sometimes classified in the bunting and American sparrow family Emberizidae, more recent studies have shown it to belong in the Thraupidae. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
Taxonomy
Genus: Sporophila; Family: Thraupidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Sporophila fringilloides
- Authority
- (Pelzeln, 1870)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Genus
- Sporophila
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Greater Yellow-Finch
Sicalis auriventris
Fairly common in the Andes of central Chile and adjacent Argentina; seen readily at ski resorts, around villages, on bogs, and on stony and grassy slopes. Often in flocks, associates readily with other seed-eating birds. Feeds mainly on the ground, but sings from prominent perches such as a rock or building. Not appreciably larger than other yellow-finches, but no similar species in most of range. May overlap in winter locally with Greenish Yellow-Finch, which has shorter wings and a shorter bill, and male never is as bright golden as the Greater Yellow-Finch.
Eurasian Bittern
Botaurus stellaris
Stocky, brown heron found in extensive reedbeds; typically very secretive. Seen mainly as single birds in flight, especially early and late in the day. Stealthy and easily overlooked; cryptic plumage blends well with reeds. Note tawny-brown face and neck, blackish cap, streaked upperparts. Bizarre "booming" song often reveals presence. Compare to juvenile Black-crowned Night-Heron, which has pale-spotted upperparts and is often seen in trees (bitterns usually on or near the ground).
Hartlaub's Gull
Chroicocephalus hartlaubii
A medium-sized, pale-gray-backed gull of coastal waters and human settlements. Breeding birds have dark eyes and a very faint chalky-gray hood, which non-breeding birds lack. This adaptable omnivore is the commonest gull of the Benguela Current, but its penchant for eating offal means it is expanding its range eastwards. The similar Gray-hooded Gull differs from Hartlaub’s Gull by being larger, having a yellowish-white eye, a longer redder bill, and a discrete grayish hood in breeding plumage. Immature Gray-hooded Gulls have a black terminal tail band which juvenile Hartlaub’s Gulls lack.
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