 The "S." ("t.") "torqueola" group, comprising the subspecies "torqueola" and "atriceps" and commonly known as the cinnamon-rumped seedeater, is found from Sinaloa and Durango to western and southern Oaxaca; the "S." ("t.") "morelleti" group, comprising the subspecies "morelleti", "sharpei", and "mutanda" and commonly known as the Morelet’s seedeater, is found throughout the rest of the species' range.It is endemic to western Mexico.It mainly inhabits tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands but can also be found in pastures, arable land, and heavily degraded former forests.