The wing-barred seedeater (Sporophila americana) is a striking black-and-white South American bird which has prominent light-coloured bars or patches on its dark wings. The Latin name Sporophila was coined by the German ornithologist Jean Cabanis in 1844 and combines the Ancient Greek sporos meaning seed and philos meaning loving. Females are a dull olive-brown and tough to identify, often blending in with other seedeaters. Its local name "Djak" in Suriname comes from its call. Found in coastal northeastern South America – Guianas, Brazil, Venezuela, Trinidad & Tobago – it lives in grassy, disturbed areas where it eats seeds but also enjoys flowers and fruits.
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