Sooty Grassquit
Asemospiza fuliginosa
Sooty Grassquit (Asemospiza fuliginosa) — 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 Sooty Grassquit (Asemospiza fuliginosa) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 13.3 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 Asemospiza
- Species fuliginosa
Where it lives
Venezuela and Trinidad to eastern Bolivia, northeastern, central Brazil and northeastern Argentina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 13.3 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Sooty Grassquit is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Sooty Grassquit is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Sooty Grassquit (Asemospiza fuliginosa) is a species of bird in the Thraupidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA Venezuela and Trinidad to e Bolivia, ne, c Brazil and ne Argentina.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 13.3 g, with a wing length of about 5.7 cm and a tail of around 4.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 952,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sooty Grassquit?
The Sooty Grassquit is a very small bird that weighs around 13.3 g.
Where does the Sooty Grassquit live?
The Sooty Grassquit is found across South America with a range covering SA Venezuela and Trinidad to e Bolivia, ne, c Brazil and ne Argentina, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Sooty Grassquit belong to?
The Sooty Grassquit (Asemospiza fuliginosa) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Sooty Grassquit eat?
The Sooty Grassquit is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Sooty Grassquit migrate?
The Sooty Grassquit is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Sooty Grassquit 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 Sooty Grassquit make?
1 real field recording of the Sooty Grassquit — 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 Sooty Grassquit's range?
The Sooty Grassquit has a mapped global range of about 952,000 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
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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.