Photo: Matthew Wridgway from South Africa / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Cape Rockjumper
Chaetops frenatus
Cape Rockjumper (Chaetops frenatus) — 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 Rockjumper (Chaetops frenatus) is a member of the Chaetopidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 55 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Chaetopidae Rockjumpers
- Genus Chaetops
- Species frenatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 55 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Chaetopidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Cape Rockjumper is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of rocky terrain, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Cape Rockjumper is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Cape Rockjumper (Chaetops frenatus) belongs to the Chaetopidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF w South Africa.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 55 g, with a wing length of about 8.7 cm and a tail of around 9.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 67,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Cape Rockjumper?
The Cape Rockjumper is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 55 g.
Where does the Cape Rockjumper live?
The Cape Rockjumper is found across Africa with a range covering AF w South Africa, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Cape Rockjumper belong to?
The Cape Rockjumper (Chaetops frenatus) belongs to the Chaetopidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Cape Rockjumper eat?
The Cape Rockjumper is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Cape Rockjumper migrate?
The Cape Rockjumper is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Cape Rockjumper endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Cape Rockjumper make?
1 real field recording of the Cape Rockjumper — 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 Rockjumper's range?
The Cape Rockjumper has a mapped global range of about 67,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Chaetopidae
Near Threatened
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.