Sporophila lineola
The Lined Seedeater, *Sporophila lineola*, is a striking member of the tanager family (Thraupidae), though formerly placed with the Emberizidae due to its finch-like appearance. Males are unmistakable with their glossy black upperparts contrasting sharply with pure white underparts, a prominent white supercilium extending from the bill to behind the eye, and a distinctive white wing-speculum. Females, in stark contrast, are cryptically plain, exhibiting drab olive-brown plumage above and buff...
Primarily found in open, grassy habitats, savannas, clearings, and agricultural areas, preferring tall grasses and scrub. It thrives in low to moderate elevations, generally below 1500 meters.
Their diet consists almost entirely of small grass seeds, which they glean directly from seed heads, supplemented with a small number of insects during the breeding season.
Lined Seedeaters are diurnal birds, highly active foragers, often seen gleaning seeds from various grasses and low vegetation. They exhibit a rather nomadic tendency outside the breeding season, moving in small to medium-sized, often mixed-species flocks, in search of optimal seed resources. Duri...
The Lined Seedeater is primarily distributed across South America, with a broad range that encompasses the Amazon Basin, the vast grasslands of the Brazilian Cerrado, and the Pantanal. Its breeding range extends from central and eastern Brazil south through Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay, and northern A...
Least Concern
- The Lined Seedeater gets its common name from the male's striking white 'line' or supercilium above its eye. - At only about 10 cm (4 inches) long, it is one of the smallest species within the genus *Sporophila*. - Despite its finch-like appearance, genetic studies have reclassified it, along w...