SEED-EATING BIRDS

The various families of finch-like birds with classic wedge-shaped bills feed largely on seeds, but many other types of birds indulge in this energy rich food.

American Goldfinch

non-breeding female eating composite seeds

American Goldfinch      Carduelis tristis

USA; Illinois, Chicago, Montrose Point

American Tree Sparrow

feeding on daisy fleabane seeds

American Tree Sparrow      Spizella arborea

USA; Illinois, Chicago

Black-capped Chickadee

kicking snow off of a Yarrow seed head before flying back to seize the seeds

Black-capped Chickadee      Poecile atricapillus

Black-faced Waxbill

feeding on grass seed

Black-faced Waxbill      Estrilda erythronotos

Republic of South Africa, east of Modimolle, Limpopo Prov.

Clark's Nutcracker

feeding in pine; seed in beak

Clark's Nutcracker      Nucifraga columbiana

Canada; British Columbia, Penticton BC

Common Redpoll

eating birch seeds

Common Redpoll      Carduelis flammea

USA; Illinois, Glencoe, Chicago Botanic Gardens

Evening Grosbeak

eating Chinese elm seeds

Evening Grosbeak      Coccothraustes vespertinus

Canada; British Columbia, Summerland

Graylag Goose

eating Rumex seeds

Graylag Goose      Anser anser

United Kingdom; England, St. James's Park, London

Large Ground-Finch

with yellow cordia seed

Large Ground-Finch      Geospiza magnirostris

Galapagos, Darwin Bay Tower Island

Medium Ground-Finch

cracking seed

Medium Ground-Finch      Geospiza fortis

Galapagos, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Is. (Indefatigable Is.)

Orange-breasted Bunting

feeding on grass seeds

Orange-breasted Bunting      Passerina leclancherii

Mexico; Oaxaca, Ixtepec Oaxaca

Plain-colored Seedeater

eating grass seed

Plain-colored Seedeater      Catamenia inornata

Colombia, Parque Nacional Los Nevados

Pygmy Nuthatch

feeding on sumac, Rhus

Pygmy Nuthatch      Sitta pygmaea

USA; New Mexico, Los Alamos Co.

Red-winged Blackbird

dandelion seeds in bill

Red-winged Blackbird      Agelaius phoeniceus

USA; Illinois, Chicago, Cook Co.

Reed Bunting

feeding on frosted reed seedhead, Phragmites

Reed Bunting      Emberiza schoeniclus

United Kingdom, Essex

Snow Bunting

eating grass seed

Snow Bunting      Plectrophenax nivalis

USA; Illinois, Montrose Beach, Chicago

Swamp Sparrow

eating foxtail grass seed, Setaria

Swamp Sparrow      Melospiza georgiana

USA; Illinois, Montrose Beach, Chicago

White-crowned Sparrow

First winter birds, eating seeds

White-crowned Sparrow      Zonotrichia leucophrys

USA; Illinois, Chicago, Montrose Point

White-winged Crossbill

holding hemlock cone in foot, extracting seed with bill, Tsuga

White-winged Crossbill      Loxia leucoptera

USA; Ohio, Green Lawn Cemetery, Columbus

Yellow-faced Grassquit

feeding on grass seed

Yellow-faced Grassquit      Tiaris olivaceus

Panama, Valle de Anton