Photo: TonyCastro / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Chestnut-throated Seedeater
Sporophila telasco
Chestnut-throated Seedeater (Sporophila telasco) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 9 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Chestnut-throated Seedeater (Sporophila telasco) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 9.6 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 telasco
Quick facts
- Weight
- 9.6 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Chestnut-throated Seedeater is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Chestnut-throated Seedeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Chestnut-throated Seedeater (Sporophila telasco) is a member of the Thraupidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA far sw Colombia to far nw Chile.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 9.6 g, with a wing length of about 5.4 cm and a tail of around 4.3 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 241,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Chestnut-throated Seedeater?
The Chestnut-throated Seedeater is a very small bird that weighs around 9.6 g.
Where does the Chestnut-throated Seedeater live?
The Chestnut-throated Seedeater is found across South America with a range covering SA far sw Colombia to far nw Chile, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Chestnut-throated Seedeater belong to?
The Chestnut-throated Seedeater (Sporophila telasco) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Chestnut-throated Seedeater eat?
The Chestnut-throated Seedeater is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Chestnut-throated Seedeater migrate?
The Chestnut-throated Seedeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Chestnut-throated 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 Chestnut-throated Seedeater make?
1 real field recording of the Chestnut-throated 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 Chestnut-throated Seedeater's range?
The Chestnut-throated Seedeater has a mapped global range of about 241,000 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
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
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.