This small seedeater moves seasonally within South America. In Bolivia it is recorded in open places such as savannas, forest edges, fields, and towns. A study in southeastern Brazil found age-related plumage differences among breeding males.
In a seven-year study in southeastern Brazil, breeding males occurred in two forms: definitive black-and-white plumage and female-like brown plumage. Most monitored males acquired black-and-white plumage after their first breeding season, though the authors found limited evidence that some may retain brown longer.
In Bolivia it is recorded in dry to humid, open and semi-open places, from savannas and forest edges to fields and towns.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.