Cape Sparrow
Cape SparrowCape SparrowCape SparrowCape Sparrow

Cape Sparrow

Passer melanurus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
40–50% · Likely
overall probability at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
126 Verified records at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
July Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ 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 →

40–50% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Sparrow sighting in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, based on 126 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Southern Gray-headed Sparrow
LC

Southern Gray-headed Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passer diffusus

40–50% · Possible
Great Rufous Sparrow
LC

Great Rufous Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passer motitensis

Insufficient data
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
LC

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Plocepasser mahali

70–80% · Very likely
Social Weaver
LC

Social Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Philetairus socius

60–70% · Likely
Fork-tailed Drongo
LC

Fork-tailed Drongo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dicrurus adsimilis

80–90% · Very likely
Red-shouldered Glossy-starling
LC

Red-shouldered Glossy-starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis nitens

60–70% · Likely
Crimson-breasted Gonolek
LC

Crimson-breasted Gonolek

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Laniarius atrococcineus

50–60% · Likely
Mariqua Flycatcher
LC

Mariqua Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bradornis mariquensis

50–60% · Likely
Scaly Weaver
LC

Scaly Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sporopipes squamifrons

50–60% · Likely
Yellow Canary
LC

Yellow Canary

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Crithagra flaviventris

50–60% · Likely
Kalahari Scrub Robin

Kalahari Scrub Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Erythropygia paena

40–50% · Likely
Cape Crow
LC

Cape Crow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus capensis

40–50% · Likely

📅 Monthly Probability

30–40
Jan
50–60
Feb
40–50
Mar
50–60
Apr
40–50
May
50–60
Jun
50–60
Jul
40–50
Aug
50–60
Sep
50–60
Oct
50–60
Nov
40–50
Dec

☀️ 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

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Cape Sparrow in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?

About 49% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Sparrow sighting in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, based on 126 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Cape Sparrow in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?

July has the highest sighting rate for Cape Sparrow in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in our monthly data.

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