Other Common Names: Collar Capuchino, Collar Paraguayito.

Subspecies:

Sporophila caerulescens caerulescens: (Vieillot, 1823), Nominal subspecies, distributed in Bolivia (only in the southeast and east), Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay. Sporophila caerulescens yungae: (Gyldenstolpe, 194), in central Bolivia. Sporophila caerulescens hellmayri: (Wolters, 1939), in eastern Brazil.

Description: Striking and with a melodious song (often targeted by pet trade), grayish back, black throat surrounded by white, black collar, and the rest of the ventral area white, with a white rump and black tail feathers. Yellow beak, black legs. The female is much more modest, with a design common to other Sporophila species, having an olive-brown back and ochre ventral side. Juveniles are similar to females, but after two or three months, males begin to acquire the adult male coloration in the throat area, making them distinguishable.

Sexual Dimorphism: Pronounced, easily distinguishable by the male´s black and white coloration. Females can be confused with some juveniles and with females of other species of the same genus. Only the male sings, while the female emits contact calls.

Habitat: Grasslands, shrub steppes, low forests, rural areas, and towns.

Geographical Distribution: Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina (up to the southernmost part of Buenos Aires province in general).

Migration: It reaches Buenos Aires province to breed, but in the Argentine winter, it migrates north to seek warmer areas and forms mixed flocks with other Sporophila species.

Behavior: It is common to see them in small groups, likely foraging among the grasslands and performing "acrobatics" to find the best seeds. They perch in exposed places, easily seen on fences in Buenos Aires pampas, where they sing non-stop under the midday sun.

Nesting: Nesting begins in December. The nest is a deep hemisphere shape, located at low heights, attached to grasses or shrubs, made from plant fibers held to plant stems with bristles or cobwebs. It lays 2 or 3 whitish eggs with dark spots and markings. Only the female incubates the eggs, which takes about twelve days. In the southwest of Buenos Aires province, I have found several nests of this species, all of which were made over a stream and clung to the vegetation along the coast.

Feeding: As its scientific name suggests, this bird feeds solely on seeds. Its robust beak is designed for this function.

Author of this description: Diego Oscar

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