Cape Sparrow
Cape SparrowCape SparrowCape SparrowCape Sparrow

Cape Sparrow

Passer melanurus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
Insufficient data
overall probability at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
2 Verified records at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

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. The species inhabits semi-arid savannah, cultivated areas, and towns, and ranges from the central coast of Angola to eastern South Africa and Eswatini. Three subspecies are distinguished in different parts of its range. Cape sparrows primarily eat seeds, and also eat soft plant parts and insects. Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park

Southern Gray-headed Sparrow
LC

Southern Gray-headed Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passer diffusus

10–20% · With luck
Yellow-throated Sparrow
LC

Yellow-throated Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gymnoris superciliaris

10–20% · With luck
Common Bulbul
LC

Common Bulbul

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pycnonotus barbatus

70–80% · Very likely
Fork-tailed Drongo
LC

Fork-tailed Drongo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dicrurus adsimilis

70–80% · Very likely
Red-shouldered Glossy-starling
LC

Red-shouldered Glossy-starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis nitens

60–70% · Likely
Red-billed Oxpecker

Red-billed Oxpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buphagus erythrorhynchus

60–70% · Likely
Southern Fiscal
LC Endemic

Southern Fiscal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lanius collaris

40–50% · Likely
Yellow-fronted Canary
LC

Yellow-fronted Canary

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Crithagra mozambica

40–50% · Likely
Blue-breasted Cordonbleu
LC

Blue-breasted Cordonbleu

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Uraeginthus angolensis

40–50% · Likely
Rattling Cisticola
LC

Rattling Cisticola

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cisticola chiniana

40–50% · Likely
Black-crowned Tchagra
LC

Black-crowned Tchagra

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tchagra senegalus

30–40% · Possible
Southern Boubou
LC

Southern Boubou

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Laniarius ferrugineus

30–40% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

📊

Fewer than 5 records of Cape Sparrow at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park — not enough to chart months honestly.

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
60–70%
2 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
40–50%
3 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
30–40%
4 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
30–40%
5 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
6 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
5–10%
7 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
8 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
9 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
10 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data
11 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
12 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
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