Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela.
The Guianas, and eastern Colombia (from Guainía and Meta) and southern Venezuela (extreme south-western Amazonas) south, east of Andes, to Ecuador, Peru and northern and western Bolivia (Pando, La Paz, Beni and Cochabamba), and Amazonian Brazil (south to north-western Mato Grosso and northern Pará, also north-eastern Roraima and Amapá).
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Chestnut-bellied Seedeater (Sporophila) [XC614008]
by JAYRSON ARAUJO DE OLIVEIRA from Vereda San Antonio Mocoa, Putumayo, Colombia (song)
Chestnut-bellied Seedeater (Sporophila) [XC542253]
by id from Roura, Montagne des Chevaux, French Guiana (call)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Molecular evidence suggests that genus is closely related to Oryzoborus, which should perhaps be subsumed within it. Further, that both genera should be placed in the tanager family (Thraupidae). A molecular-genetic study of 17 species in genus, including ten in "capped" group ("capuchinos"), indicated that latter form two clades, a northern clade largely north of R Amazon containing present species and Ruddy-breasted Seedeater (Sporophila minuta), and a southern clade consisting of Copper Seedeater (Sporophila bouvreuil), Tawny-bellied Seedeater (Sporophila hypoxantha), Rufous-rumped Seedeater (Sporophila hypochroma), Dark-throated Seedeater (Sporophila ruficollis), Marsh Seedeater (Sporophila palustris), Chestnut Seedeater (Sporophila cinnamomea) and Black-bellied Seedeater (Sporophila melanogaster).
Proposed taxon Sporophila hypochroma rothi (based on single specimen from near Abary, in north-eastern Guyana) likely a hybrid between present species and Ruddy-breasted Seedeater (Sporophila minuta).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet