The parrot-billed seedeater is a small species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in various shrubby habitats in western Ecuador and western Peru. Outside the breeding season, it is quite social and frequently seen in flocks with other small seed-eating birds.
Region
Tumbesian region (western Ecuador and northwestern Peru)
Typical Environment
Occupies coastal and foothill dry habitats including arid scrub, thorny thickets, open second-growth, and weedy agricultural edges. It favors areas with abundant seeding grasses and forbs, often along roadsides, fallows, and riverine edges. The species tolerates fragmented landscapes and can persist near rural settlements if seed resources remain. It generally avoids dense forest and very urban settings, keeping to semi-open cover.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Named for its notably deep, parrot-like bill, this seedeater is well adapted to cracking tough grass seeds in dry coastal scrub. It is most often encountered in the Tumbesian region of western Ecuador and northwestern Peru, where it frequents weedy fields and thorny thickets. Outside the breeding season it often joins mixed flocks with other small seed-eating birds. Habitat degradation can affect local numbers, so it is more common where seeding grasses are abundant.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with undulating flight
Social Behavior
Often forms small flocks outside the breeding season, sometimes mixing with other Sporophila and small seedeaters. During breeding it occurs in pairs and defends small territories. The nest is a small cup placed low in shrubs or grasses, with typical clutches of two to three eggs.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
The song is a series of short, thin trills and buzzy phrases delivered from exposed perches. Calls are sharp chips and tseep notes used to keep contact within flocks.
Plumage
Compact, finch-like seedeater with a very deep, swollen-based bill. Males are darker and more contrasting overall; females are warm brown to buff with plainer underparts and faint streaking. Both sexes show fairly uniform upperparts with subtle edging on the wings and tail.
Diet
Primarily consumes small seeds of grasses and herbaceous plants, using its powerful bill to husk and crack tough seed coats. It also takes fallen seeds on the ground and plucks seed heads directly from stems. During dry periods it shifts to whatever seeding weeds are most abundant.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in open scrub, weedy fields, and field margins with plentiful seed heads. Often forages low in vegetation or on the ground, moving through patches of grasses and forbs.
