Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-bellied Seedeater
Sporophila melanogaster
Black-bellied Seedeater (Sporophila melanogaster) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-bellied Seedeater (Sporophila melanogaster) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 9.3 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Thraupidae Tanagers & Allies
- Genus Sporophila
- Species melanogaster
Quick facts
- Weight
- 9.3 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-bellied Seedeater 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 Black-bellied Seedeater is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Black-bellied Seedeater (Sporophila melanogaster) is a member of the Thraupidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA se Brazil.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 9.3 g, with a wing length of about 5.3 cm and a tail of around 4.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 18,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-bellied Seedeater?
The Black-bellied Seedeater is a very small bird that weighs around 9.3 g.
Where does the Black-bellied Seedeater live?
The Black-bellied Seedeater is found across South America with a range covering SA se Brazil, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Black-bellied Seedeater belong to?
The Black-bellied Seedeater (Sporophila melanogaster) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-bellied Seedeater eat?
The Black-bellied Seedeater is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Black-bellied Seedeater migrate?
The Black-bellied Seedeater is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Black-bellied Seedeater endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Black-bellied Seedeater make?
1 real field recording of the Black-bellied Seedeater — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-bellied Seedeater's range?
The Black-bellied Seedeater has a mapped global range of about 18,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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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.