Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dariosanches/ / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Tawny-bellied Seedeater
Sporophila hypoxantha
Tawny-bellied Seedeater (Sporophila hypoxantha) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Tawny-bellied Seedeater (Sporophila hypoxantha) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 10.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Thraupidae Tanagers & Allies
- Genus Sporophila
- Species hypoxantha
Where it lives
Southeastern Paraguay and southern Brazil to northeastern Argentina and western Uruguay
Quick facts
- Weight
- 10.5 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Tawny-bellied Seedeater is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Tawny-bellied Seedeater is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Tawny-bellied Seedeater (Sporophila hypoxantha) is a member of the Thraupidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA se Paraguay and s Brazil to ne Argentina and w Uruguay.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 10.5 g, with a wing length of about 5.4 cm and a tail of around 4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Tawny-bellied Seedeater?
The Tawny-bellied Seedeater is a very small bird that weighs around 10.5 g.
Where does the Tawny-bellied Seedeater live?
The Tawny-bellied Seedeater is found across South America with a range covering SA se Paraguay and s Brazil to ne Argentina and w Uruguay, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Tawny-bellied Seedeater belong to?
The Tawny-bellied Seedeater (Sporophila hypoxantha) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Tawny-bellied Seedeater eat?
The Tawny-bellied Seedeater is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Tawny-bellied Seedeater migrate?
The Tawny-bellied Seedeater is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Tawny-bellied Seedeater endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Tawny-bellied Seedeater make?
1 real field recording of the Tawny-bellied Seedeater — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Tawny-bellied Seedeater's range?
The Tawny-bellied Seedeater has a mapped global range of about 1.8 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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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.