Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Dark-throated Seedeater
Sporophila ruficollis
Dark-throated Seedeater (Sporophila ruficollis) — 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 Dark-throated Seedeater (Sporophila ruficollis) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 8.6 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 ruficollis
Where it lives
Southeastern Bolivia and southwestern Brazil to northeastern Argentina and Uruguay
Quick facts
- Weight
- 8.6 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Dark-throated 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 Dark-throated Seedeater is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Dark-throated Seedeater (Sporophila ruficollis) belongs to the Thraupidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA se Bolivia and sw Brazil to ne Argentina and Uruguay.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 8.6 g, with a wing length of about 5.3 cm and a tail of around 4.4 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 1.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Dark-throated Seedeater?
The Dark-throated Seedeater is a very small bird that weighs around 8.6 g.
Where does the Dark-throated Seedeater live?
The Dark-throated Seedeater is found across South America with a range covering SA se Bolivia and sw Brazil to ne Argentina and Uruguay, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Dark-throated Seedeater belong to?
The Dark-throated Seedeater (Sporophila ruficollis) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Dark-throated Seedeater eat?
The Dark-throated Seedeater is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Dark-throated Seedeater migrate?
The Dark-throated Seedeater is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Dark-throated 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 Dark-throated Seedeater make?
1 real field recording of the Dark-throated 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 Dark-throated Seedeater's range?
The Dark-throated Seedeater has a mapped global range of about 1.2 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.