Thick-billed Seed-Finch
Thick-billed Seed-FinchThick-billed Seed-FinchThick-billed Seed-FinchThick-billed Seed-Finch

Thick-billed Seed-Finch

Sporophila funerea

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Tortuguero National Park
203 Verified sightings at Tortuguero National Park From 2019 to 2026
5,054 Verified sightings across all 33 parks From 2019 to 2026
June Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Thick-billed Seed-Finch

The thick-billed seed finch (Sporophila funerea) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae, but was until recently placed in Emberizidae. It is found widely in shrubby and grassy areas from southern Mexico, through Central America, to the Chocó in Colombia and Ecuador. It is replaced by the closely related chestnut-bellied seed finch in South America east of the Andes, as well as the valleys of Cauca and Magdalena in Colombia. The two have often been considered conspecific as the lesser seed-finch (Sporophila angolensis).

The male is almost entirely black, with a small white wing patch. The female is a rich brown all over. They are both very similar to the all-black Caribbean slope form of the variable seedeater. It is distinguished, however, by a larger bill with a straight culmen. They measure 11.5 cm (4.5 in) long and weigh 13.5 g (0.48 oz).

BirdLife species factsheet for Sporophila funerea "Sporophila funerea". Avibase. "Thick-billed seed-finch media". Internet Bird Collection. Thick-billed seed-finch photo gallery at VIREO (Drexel University) Interactive range map of Oryzoborus funereus at IUCN Red List

Audio recordings of Thick-billed... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Tortuguero National Park

Variable Seedeater
LC

Variable Seedeater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sporophila corvina

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Morelet's Seedeater
LC

Morelet's Seedeater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sporophila morelleti

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Nicaraguan Seed-Finch
LC

Nicaraguan Seed-Finch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sporophila nuttingi

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Blue-gray Tanager

Blue-gray Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thraupis episcopus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Palm Tanager

Palm Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thraupis palmarum

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Scarlet-rumped Tanager
LC

Scarlet-rumped Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ramphocelus passerinii

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Golden-hooded Tanager

Golden-hooded Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Stilpnia larvata

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Buff-throated Saltator
LC

Buff-throated Saltator

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Saltator maximus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Yellow-winged Tanager

Yellow-winged Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thraupis abbas

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Bananaquit
LC

Bananaquit

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Coereba flaveola

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Cinnamon-bellied Saltator
LC

Cinnamon-bellied Saltator

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Saltator grandis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Blue-black Grassquit
LC

Blue-black Grassquit

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Volatinia jacarina

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 San Lorenzo Protected Forest 🇵🇦 Panama
~30%
2 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
3 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
4 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
5 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
6 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
7 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
8 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
~10%
9 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
10 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
11 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
12 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
13 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
14 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
15 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
16 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
17 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
18 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
19 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
20 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
21 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
22 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
23 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
24 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
25 Parque Natural Metropolitano 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
26 Farallones de Cali National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
27 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
28 Tikal National Park 🇬🇹 Guatemala
<5%
29 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
30 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
31 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
32 Los Nevados National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
33 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Thick-billed Seed-Finch in Tortuguero National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Thick-billed Seed-Finch sighting in Tortuguero National Park, based on 203 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Thick-billed Seed-Finch in Tortuguero National Park?

June has the highest sighting rate for Thick-billed Seed-Finch in Tortuguero National Park in our monthly data.

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