Golfito, Puntarenas, CR, November 19, 2007
Credit: Ned Haight

North American field guide

White-collared Seedeater

Sporophila torqueola

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Identification

Field notes

11 cm (4-5") Rare. Strays to southern Texas (lower Rio Grande) from Mexico. Open grassy areas.

Very small finch with a short, thick, strongly curved bill.

Male: black cap. Brown unstreaked back. Dark wings with two white stripes and a lower white patch. Dark rounded tail. Buffy unstreaked underparts.

Female: upperparts plain brown with darker wings and tail. Plain light buff underside.

Song: variable high and low "sweet sweet sweet cheer cheer cheer"; "wink" call.

Watch and learn

Videos

1 video
Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

White-collared Seedeater (Female)

1 rule
Rule 1 15 criteria confidence 1
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?
No · Unknown
What colour were the WINGS ?
Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?
Short · Medium · Long
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
Rounded at the end · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Warbler-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
What type of environment was the bird seen in?
Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Desert, arid grassland, shrubs, cactus, mesquite · Thickets or shrubs
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southeastern United States · Southwestern United States
result:221-white-collared-seedeater-female:1:1 Source: 221 White-collared Seedeater (Female), row 1

White-collared Seedeater (Male)

1 rule
Rule 1 16 criteria confidence 1
What colour were the WING STRIPES or PATCHES ?
White or pale gray stripes or patches · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?
Yes · Unknown
What colour were the WINGS ?
Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?
Short · Medium · Long
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
Rounded at the end · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Warbler-like · Songbird (ground or perching bird)
What type of environment was the bird seen in?
Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Desert, arid grassland, shrubs, cactus, mesquite · Thickets or shrubs
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southeastern United States · Southwestern United States