Seedeater
Encyclopedia
The seedeaters are a form taxon
of seed-eating passerine
bird
s with a distinctively conical bill.
Most are Central
and South America
n birds that were formerly placed in the American sparrow
family
(Emberizidae), but are now known to be tanager
s (Thraupidae) closely related to Darwins finches. Indeed, some of these seedeaters are closer to these, while the more "true" seedeaters form a clade
with certain tanagers. A few "atypical" seedeaters are closely related to a number of tanagers, many of which (such as the flowerpiercer
s) have peculiarly adapted bills.
In addition, there are some Africa
m passerines called seedeaters. They belong to the serin
genus (Serinus) of the true finch family (Fringillidae), but might warrant to be separated with their closest relatives in Crithagra.
True seedeaters
Related to Darwin's finches
Atypical seedeaters
Relatives of true seedeaters
These tanagers are the true seedeaters' closest relatives:
Form taxon
Form classification is the classification of organisms based on their morphology, which does not necessarily reflect their biological relationships...
of seed-eating passerine
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s with a distinctively conical bill.
Most are Central
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n birds that were formerly placed in the American sparrow
American sparrow
American sparrows are a group of mainly New World passerine birds, forming part of the family Emberizidae. American sparrows are seed-eating birds with conical bills, brown or gray in color, and many species have distinctive head patterns....
family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
(Emberizidae), but are now known to be tanager
Tanager
The tanagers comprise the bird family Thraupidae, in the order Passeriformes. The family has an American distribution.There were traditionally about 240 species of tanagers, but the taxonomic treatment of this family's members is currently in a state of flux...
s (Thraupidae) closely related to Darwins finches. Indeed, some of these seedeaters are closer to these, while the more "true" seedeaters form a clade
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
with certain tanagers. A few "atypical" seedeaters are closely related to a number of tanagers, many of which (such as the flowerpiercer
Flowerpiercer
The flowerpiercers are the members of two genera of tanagers, Diglossa and Diglossopis. The latter genus is sometimes subsumed into the former, but at present most authorities maintain them as separate. Based on mtDNA, the Indigo Flowerpiercer, which traditionally has been placed in Diglossopis,...
s) have peculiarly adapted bills.
In addition, there are some Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
m passerines called seedeaters. They belong to the serin
Serín
Serín is a district of the municipality of Gijón / Xixón, in Asturias, Spain.The population of Serín was 309 in 2004Serín is located on the western area of Gijón / Xixón, and borders the Asturian municipalities of Llanera, Corvera and Carreño.Barrios & Places:-External links:* - Gijón / Xixón...
genus (Serinus) of the true finch family (Fringillidae), but might warrant to be separated with their closest relatives in Crithagra.
American seedeaters
- AmaurospizaAmaurospizaAmaurospiza is a genus of birds. These "seedeaters" were formerly associated with the American sparrows and placed in the Emberizidae or the Fringillidae. The generic name is derived from the Ancient Greek amauros + spiza .Actually, they are part of the tanager-cardinal lineage...
– blue seedeaters (4 species, tentatively placed here) - Dolospingus – White-naped Seedeater
- OryzoborusOryzoborusOryzoborus is a genus of bird in the Thraupidae family. Sometimes classified in the bunting and American sparrow family Emberizidae, more recent studies have shown it to belong in the Thraupidae, and some have argued for merging it into Sporophila....
– seed-finches (6 species, sometimes included in Sporophila) - SporophilaSporophilaSporophila is a genus of Neotropical birds in the Thraupidae family. The seed finches are sometimes also included in this genus.They are relatively small with stubby, conical bills adapted for feeding on seeds and alike...
– typical seedeaters (some 30 species, 1 possibly recently extinct)
Related to Darwin's finches
- Euneornis – Orangequit
- LoxigillaLoxigillaLoxigilla is the genus of Antillean bullfinches, birds in the Thraupidae family. Sometimes classified in the bunting and American sparrow family Emberizidae, more recent studies have shown it to belong in the tanager family....
– Antillean bullfinches (4 species) - Loxipasser – Yellow-shouldered Grassquit
- Melanospiza – St. Lucia Black Finch
- Melopyrrha – Cuban Bullfinch
- TiarisTiarisTiaris is a genus of songbirds in the tanager family , containing the bulk of the grassquits. In late 20th century sources in particular, it was very often allied to the American sparrows and placed in the Emberizidae family....
– typical grassquits (5 species)
- Acanthidops – Peg-billed Finch
- CatameniaCatamenia (genus)Catamenia is a genus of atypical seedeaters. Formerly placed in the Emberizidae, they are now considered tanagers.-Species List:* Band-tailed Seedeater, Catamenia analis* Plain-colored Seedeater, Catamenia inornata...
(3 species) - HaplospizaHaplospizaHaplospiza is a small genus of birds in the Thraupidae family. Sometimes classified in the bunting and American sparrow family Emberizidae, more recent studies have shown it to belong in the Thraupidae. Its two members breed in subtropical or tropical moist forest in Central and South America...
(2 species)
Relatives of true seedeaters
These tanagers are the true seedeaters' closest relatives:
- Charitospiza – Coal-crested Finch
- LophospingusLophospingusLophospingus is a genus of bird in the Thraupidae family. Sometimes classified in the bunting and American sparrow family Emberizidae, more recent studies have shown it to belong in the tanager family.It contains the following species:...
(2 species) - SicalisSicalisSicalis is a genus of bird in the Thraupidae family. Sometimes classified in the bunting and American sparrow family Emberizidae, more recent studies have shown it to belong in the Thraupidae.It contains the following species:...
– yellow-finches (12 species) - Volatinia – Blue-black Grassquit
African seedeaters
- Southern Yellow-rumped Seedeater, Serinus atrogularis
- Thick-billed SeedeaterThick-billed SeedeaterThe Thick-Billed Seedeater is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family. It is found in Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.-References:...
, Serinus burtoni - Lemon-breasted SeedeaterLemon-breasted SeedeaterThe Lemon-Breasted Seedeater , also known as the Lemon-breasted Canary, is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe....
, Serinus citrinipectus - Yellow-throated SeedeaterYellow-throated SeedeaterThe Yellow-Throated Seedeater is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found only in Ethiopia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland....
, Serinus flavigula - Streaky-headed SeedeaterStreaky-headed SeedeaterThe Streaky-headed Seedeater or Streaky-headed Canary is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is a common resident breeder in suitable habitat in much of Africa south of the Sahara....
, Serinus gularis - Protea Seedeater, Serinus leucopterus
- White-rumped SeedeaterWhite-rumped SeedeaterThe White-Rumped Seedeater is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, and the United...
, Serinus leucopygius - Black-eared SeedeaterBlack-eared SeedeaterThe Black-eared Seedeater is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe....
, Serinus mennelli - Reichard's SeedeaterReichard's SeedeaterThe Reichard's Seedeater is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe....
, Serinus reichardi - Principe SeedeaterPrincipe SeedeaterThe Príncipe Seedeater is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found only in Sao Tomé and Príncipe.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
, Serinus rufobrunneus - Streaky SeedeaterStreaky SeedeaterThe Streaky Seedeater is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family. It is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.-References:...
, Serinus striolatus - Brown-rumped SeedeaterBrown-rumped SeedeaterThe Brown-rumped Seedeater is a species of finch in the Fringillidae family.It is found in the highlands of Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia.It is widespread in towns, villages gardens, plantations and upland heath....
, Serinus tristriatus - Abyssinian Yellow-rumped Seedeater, Serinus xanthopygius
External links
- Fringillidae and Emberizidae videos, photos & sounds on the Internet Bird Collection