Photo: Félix Uribe from Rionegro, Antioquia, Colombia / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Grey Seedeater
Sporophila intermedia
Grey Seedeater (Sporophila intermedia) — 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 Grey Seedeater (Sporophila intermedia) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 12.1 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 intermedia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12.1 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 Grey Seedeater is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Grey Seedeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Grey Seedeater (Sporophila intermedia) is a member of the Thraupidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA n.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12.1 g, with a wing length of about 5.5 cm and a tail of around 4.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Grey Seedeater?
The Grey Seedeater is a very small bird that weighs around 12.1 g.
Where does the Grey Seedeater live?
The Grey Seedeater is found across South America with a range covering SA n, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Grey Seedeater belong to?
The Grey Seedeater (Sporophila intermedia) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Grey Seedeater eat?
The Grey Seedeater is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Grey Seedeater migrate?
The Grey Seedeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Grey 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 Grey Seedeater make?
1 real field recording of the Grey 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 Grey Seedeater's range?
The Grey Seedeater has a mapped global range of about 1.4 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.