Geography/Habitat:

The Morelet’s Seedeater (Sporophila morelleti), is widespread ranging from South Texas through Eastern Central America to Panama. Until recently it was grouped as a species with the Cinnamon-rumped Seedeater until 2018 when the White Collared Seedeater was split into two species. It is common throughout most of its range and was widespread in Southern Texas until recently. Numbers in Texas have decreased significantly and today it is only found around Laredo. More specifically, eastwards along the Rio Grande valley it's found mainly in Zapata, Webb and Starr counties. The Texas population is from the sub-species. (S. m. Sharpei) and is sometimes known as Sharpe’s Seedeater. Only found in Texas and the Veracruz area, this sub-species is known for its dark broken breast band. 

Typical habitat in Texas are the cane breaks found in the banks of the Rio Grande, but they do inhabit pastures and weedy fields and can be seen on roadsides on occasion. These birds are known for eating seeds, insects and occasionally berries and will forage on the ground. They can be secretive during the Winter but the male is very vocal in the Summer months and has a sweet clear song of 2-3 high notes followed by 2-3 low notes. It nests in shrubs and bushes and usually has broods of 2-4 pale blue eggs. Note it is resident throughout its range.

Identification

Morelet’s Seedeater is a very small member of the Thraupidae family (Tanagers) but is sometimes grouped typically with Emberizidae (buntings and new world sparrows). This is still the subject of much debate. It has short stumpy bill with a curved culmen. Males have a black cap with white arcs under the eye. Chin and collar are whitish with the latter divided by a black nape. It has an often-incomplete black breast band with white underparts. Back and wings are black with the latter having two white bars and a white patch on the underwing. Rump is buff colored and the tail black. The female is much more non-descript being a drab olive gray green above and buffy below.

In flight the stubby bill light collar and white wing patch are distinctive.

Its song is a high pitched sweet sweet sweet cheer-cheer-cheer

Interesting Facts



• A group of seedeaters is known as an Eatery
• Named after Pierre Marie Arthur Morelet, a French artist and naturalist of the 19^th century. Interestingly he was more of an expert on marine life than birds!
• The Texas subspecies Sharpei, has been proposed a separate species and this is currently under consideration.
• The global population is estimated at 20 million individuals (when grouped as White Collared Seedeater and this species is considered of least concern. However, the Sharpei subspecies in Texas has decreased massively since the 1940’s and is under threat. The reasons are unknown, but habitat loss is concerning.