Cape Sparrow

Passer melanurus (Müller, PLS, 1776)

14–16 cmLength30 gWeight

The Cape sparrow (Passer melanurus), or mossie, is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae found in southern Africa.

Busiest months: September–November · Most records: South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Cape Sparrow has been recorded at 107 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 4 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Strandfontein WTPSouth Africa1,273 records
Marievale Bird SanctuarySouth Africa782 records
West Coast NPSouth Africa765 records

More places

Rietvlei NRSouth Africa759 records
Rondevlei NRSouth Africa551 records
Walter Sisulu National Botanical GardenSouth Africa479 records
Kirstenhof WetlandSouth Africa408 records
Delta ParkSouth Africa399 records
West Coast NP – Geelbek hides vicinitySouth Africa380 records
Eagle Canyon Golf EstateSouth Africa376 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South Africa Namibia Lesotho Botswana

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The Cape sparrow (Passer melanurus), or mossie, is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae found in southern Africa. A medium-sized sparrow at 14–16 centimetres (5.5–6.3 in), it has distinctive plumage, including large pale head stripes in both sexes. Its plumage is mostly grey, brown, and chestnut, and the male has some bold black and white markings on its head and neck.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Cape Sparrow?

The Cape Sparrow is about 14–16 cm long and weighs around 30 g.

Where does the Cape Sparrow live?

Its breeding range: Africa: subtropical southern Africa in savanna and anthropogenic habitats: coastal central Angola, northern Namibia, northern Botswana and southwestern Zimbabwe south through South Africa. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Namibia and Lesotho.

When is the best time to see the Cape Sparrow?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in September, October and November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Cape Sparrow endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Cape Sparrow as Least Concern.

What does the Cape Sparrow eat?

Main food: Seeds.

What family is the Cape Sparrow in?

It belongs to the family Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches (Passeridae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length: 14–16 cm
Weight: 30 g
Habitat: Woodland
Diet: Seeds
Lifestyle: Active on the ground
Migration: Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 75 mm
Tail: 59 mm
Bill: 13 mm
Tarsus: 19 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: subtropical southern Africa in savanna and anthropogenic habitats: coastal central Angola, northern Namibia, northern Botswana and southwestern Zimbabwe south through South Africa

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2