About Sporophila bouvronides (R.Lesson, 1831)
Lesson's seedeater (Sporophila bouvronides) is a small, sparrow-like bird with a total length of 10.5–11 cm (4.1–4.3 in). Males have a mostly black head featuring a large white whisker-shaped marking, while females have an olive-brown back, pale yellowish belly, and a dull yellow bill. Most Lesson's seedeaters live in open marshlands and disturbed habitats with long grass, particularly near water. They can sometimes be found in flocks, where they feed on grass seeds. Their accepted natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist shrubland and heavily degraded former forest. This species is very similar to the lined seedeater, but male Lesson's seedeaters lack the white stripe that lined seedeater males have on their crown. Female Lesson's and lined seedeaters are identical, and cannot be reliably identified unless they are found alongside males. When compared to females of other seedeater species (excluding lined seedeaters), female Lesson's seedeaters can be distinguished by the strong yellowish wash on their underparts and their relatively small, dull yellow bill.
