Morelet’s Seedeater

Morelet’s Seedeater is a small sparrow-like bird that has a only very local US range in Texas, immediately along the Rio Grande River from Laredo to Zapata. It is usually found where there is tall cane, especially carrizo. Formerly known as White-collared Seedeater, the species was split in 2017 into Morelet’s Seedeater and Cinnamon-rumped Seedeater, the latter being limited to Mexico. The IOC (International Ornithological Congress) and Cornell Ornithology both place seedeaters in the family Thraupidae (tanagers), while the AOU continues to place this genus where they have traditionally been – in the Emberizid (sparrows) family.