Buntings and New World Sparrows (Emberizidae)

Wing-barred Seedeater (Sporophila americana) - HBW 16, p. 650

French: Sporophile à ailes blanches German: Wechselpfäffchen Spanish: Semillero Aliblanco
Other common names: Southern Variable Seedeater

Taxonomy: Loxia americana J. F. Gmelin, 1789, Cayenne, French Guiana.
Molecular evidence suggests that genus is closely related to Oryzoborus, which should perhaps be subsumed within it; further, that both genera should be placed in the tanager family (Thraupidae). Forms a superspecies with S. corvina, S. murallae and S. intermedia, and has been treated as conspecific with the first two; S. intermedia was not thought to belong to this group until seen to hybridize with S. corvina in two different regions of Colombia. Within this group, present species thought to be sister to S. murallae. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

americana (J. F. Gmelin, 1789) - NE Venezuela (Sucre S to Delta Amacuro) E to the Guianas and N Brazil (Amapá and NE Pará); also Tobago.
dispar Todd, 1922 - middle and lower R Amazon from Manacapurú on N bank and R Juruá on S bank E to Santarém (Brazil).