Thick-billed Seed Finch

Overview

The thick-billed seed finch is a small bird in the family Thraupidae that inhabits shrubby and grassy environments across the Americas. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Males are almost entirely black with a small white wing patch, while females are a rich brown all over.
• Measures 11.5 cm in length and weighs 13.5 g.
• Possesses a larger bill with a straight culmen, distinguishing it from similar species.

Habitat

Found widely in shrubby and grassy areas ranging from southern Mexico through Central America to the Chocó in Colombia and Ecuador. It is replaced in South America east of the Andes by the closely related chestnut-bellied seed finch.

Did you know?

The species was recently reclassified from the Emberizidae family to Thraupidae. It is often confused with the all-black Caribbean slope form of the variable seedeater but is distinguished by its larger bill.