Photo: Oom Kosie at English Wikipedia / CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Cape Batis
Batis capensis
Cape Batis (Batis capensis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Cape Batis (Batis capensis) is a member of the Platysteiridae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 11.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Platysteiridae Wattle-eyes, Batises
- Genus Batis
- Species capensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Platysteiridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Cape Batis is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Cape Batis is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Cape Batis (Batis capensis) is a member of the Platysteiridae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Zimbabwe, w, s Mozambique and South Africa.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.7 g, with a wing length of about 5.7 cm and a tail of around 4.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 417,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Cape Batis?
The Cape Batis is a very small bird that weighs around 11.7 g.
Where does the Cape Batis live?
The Cape Batis is found across Africa with a range covering AF Zimbabwe, w, s Mozambique and South Africa, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Cape Batis belong to?
The Cape Batis (Batis capensis) belongs to the Platysteiridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Cape Batis eat?
The Cape Batis is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Cape Batis migrate?
The Cape Batis is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Cape Batis endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Cape Batis make?
1 real field recording of the Cape Batis — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Cape Batis's range?
The Cape Batis has a mapped global range of about 417,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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