Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dariosanches/ / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-bellied Seedeater
Sporophila leucoptera
White-bellied Seedeater (Sporophila leucoptera) — 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 White-bellied Seedeater (Sporophila leucoptera) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 15.5 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 leucoptera
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15.5 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 White-bellied Seedeater 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 White-bellied Seedeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-bellied Seedeater (Sporophila leucoptera) belongs to the Thraupidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA c, e, sc.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 15.5 g, with a wing length of about 5.6 cm and a tail of around 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.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 3.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-bellied Seedeater?
The White-bellied Seedeater is a small bird that weighs around 15.5 g.
Where does the White-bellied Seedeater live?
The White-bellied Seedeater is found across South America with a range covering SA c, e, sc, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the White-bellied Seedeater belong to?
The White-bellied Seedeater (Sporophila leucoptera) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the White-bellied Seedeater eat?
The White-bellied Seedeater is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the White-bellied Seedeater migrate?
The White-bellied Seedeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-bellied 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 White-bellied Seedeater make?
1 real field recording of the White-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 White-bellied Seedeater's range?
The White-bellied Seedeater has a mapped global range of about 3.8 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.
Explore more birds
More in Thraupidae
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
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.