Bird field guide · Tanagers and Allies

Photographing the Morelet's Seedeater

How to photograph the Morelet's Seedeater (Sporophila morelleti): the right lens for its size, shutter speeds for perched and moving animals, and when it's most often seen (March, April, May and July).

10–20 cm1/2500–1/3200 s
Morelet's Seedeater (Sporophila morelleti)
Photo: © Juan Carlos Pérez Magaña, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Juan Carlos Pérez Magaña via iNaturalist
10–20 cm
Typical length (family range)
1/800 s
Shutter: perched / still
1/2500–1/3200 s
Shutter: action / flight
f/5.6–f/7.1
Aperture
8,034
Research-grade sightings in N. America
ModeManual + Auto ISOLock shutter & aperture, let ISO float
Shutter (still)1/800 s
Shutter (action)1/2500–1/3200 s
Aperturef/5.6–f/7.1
FocusAF-C + subject/eye detectionBird-eye AF with continuous focus (AF-C/AI Servo); fill at least a third of the frame.
DriveHigh-speed burst
Lens400–600 mmFull-frame equivalent

Focal length needed to frame it#

For a subject about 15 cm long filling a third or half of the frame width horizontally. Small birds demand long lenses and a close approach — a blind or feeder setup helps.

Distance⅓ of frame (FF)½ of frame (FF)⅓ of frame (APS-C)⅓ of frame (MFT)
5 m (16 ft)367 mm536 mm245 mm183 mm
10 m (33 ft)734 mm1,071 mm489 mm367 mm
15 m (49 ft)1,101 mm1,607 mm734 mm550 mm
20 m (66 ft)1,468 mm2,143 mm979 mm734 mm
30 m (98 ft)2,202 mm3,214 mm1,468 mm1,101 mm
50 m (164 ft)3,669 mm5,357 mm2,446 mm1,835 mm

When to find it#

Jan: 9% Jan Feb: 9% Feb Mar: 10% Mar Apr: 13% Apr May: 11% May Jun: 9% Jun Jul: 11% Jul Aug: 8% Aug Sep: 4% Sep Oct: 3% Oct Nov: 5% Nov Dec: 7% Dec
Share of iNaturalist observations by month across North America. Peak months: March, April, May and July.

About the Morelet's Seedeater#

Morelet's seedeater (Sporophila morelleti) is a passerine bird in the typical seedeater genus Sporophila.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia via iNaturalist (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Field-craft tips#

  • Bright colours pop in soft overcast light.
  • Bird-eye AF with continuous focus (AF-C/AI Servo); fill at least a third of the frame.
  • Sightings peak in March, April, May and July, which is when you'll have the most chances.

Ethics#

  • The welfare of the animal comes first: if it changes its behaviour because of you, you are too close.
  • Stay on trails, respect closures around nests, leks, dens and haul-outs.
  • Avoid playback and baiting in sensitive seasons; never bait predators.
  • Don't share precise locations of rare, nesting or roosting animals publicly.

More Tanagers and Allies#

Blue-gray Tanager Blue-gray TanagerThraupis episcopus Cinnamon-rumped SeedeaterSporophila torqueola Scarlet-rumped Tanager Scarlet-rumped TanagerRamphocelus passerinii Bananaquit BananaquitCoereba flaveola Red-legged HoneycreeperCyanerpes cyaneus Blue-black Grassquit Blue-black GrassquitVolatinia jacarina Cinnamon-bellied SaltatorSaltator grandis

Frequently asked questions#

What lens do I need to photograph a Morelet's Seedeater?

At about 15 cm long, a morelet's seedeater fills a third of a full-frame image at 10 m with roughly 734 mm, or at 20 m with 1,468 mm.

What shutter speed should I use for a Morelet's Seedeater?

1/800 s when it's still; 1/2500–1/3200 s for action.

When is the best time to photograph a Morelet's Seedeater?

Observations in North America peak in March, April, May and July. Early morning and late afternoon give the best light and activity.

Sources & licences#

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources