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Slate-colored Seedeater is a rare resident of light woodlands and forest edges of central Panama, most likely to be found on either slope of the
Canal area. It is likely very local in distribution, and is seldom-reported. Birders should be aware of many other possible Sporophila seedeaters
in the region: one must consider the occasional oddly-plumaged Variable S. americana, and possible strays White-collared S. torqueola (recorded to the west on the Caribbean slope),
Lined S. lineola (one recent record from northern Colón) and Lesson's S. bouvronides (known from the Darién, and possibly the identity of a strange seedeater at Santa Clara, Coclé
in September, 2006). Sporophila seedeaters present a number of identification challenges, and are notorious as vagrants or occasional colonizers, so great care should be taken when identifying aberrant birds. The collection
of audio recordings can be critical in resolving i.d. questions, and birder preparation for all of the possibilities is a huge plus- I feel that better preparation on my part might have helped to resolve the identity of the mystery
Santa Clara seedeater (video was inconclusive).
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