Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Great-billed Seed Finch
Sporophila maximiliani
Great-billed Seed Finch (Sporophila maximiliani) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Great-billed Seed Finch (Sporophila maximiliani) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 24.6 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Endangered.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Thraupidae Tanagers & Allies
- Genus Sporophila
- Species maximiliani
Where it lives
Eastern Bolivia to central, eastern Brazil; also Trinidad and eastern Venezuela; western Guyana and eastern French Guiana to northern Brazil
Quick facts
- Weight
- 24.6 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Great-billed Seed Finch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Great-billed Seed Finch is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Great-billed Seed Finch (Sporophila maximiliani) belongs to the Thraupidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA e Bolivia to c, e Brazil; also Trinidad and e Venezuela; w Guyana and e French Guiana to n Brazil.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 24.6 g, with a wing length of about 7.5 cm and a tail of around 6.7 cm.
It is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 106,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Great-billed Seed Finch?
The Great-billed Seed Finch is a small bird that weighs around 24.6 g.
Where does the Great-billed Seed Finch live?
The Great-billed Seed Finch is found across South America with a range covering SA e Bolivia to c, e Brazil; also Trinidad and e Venezuela; w Guyana and e French Guiana to n Brazil, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Great-billed Seed Finch belong to?
The Great-billed Seed Finch (Sporophila maximiliani) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Great-billed Seed Finch eat?
The Great-billed Seed Finch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Great-billed Seed Finch migrate?
The Great-billed Seed Finch is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Great-billed Seed Finch endangered?
It is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
What sound does the Great-billed Seed Finch make?
1 real field recording of the Great-billed Seed Finch can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Great-billed Seed Finch's range?
The Great-billed Seed Finch has a mapped global range of about 106,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Thraupidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Thraupidae
A field guide to the Thraupidae family — 394 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.