Photo: Hans Hillewaert / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Cape Sparrow
Passer melanurus
Cape Sparrow (Passer melanurus) — 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 Sparrow (Passer melanurus) is a member of the Passeridae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 29.5 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 Passeridae Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches
- Genus Passer
- Species melanurus
Where it lives
Subtropical southern Africa in savanna and anthropogenic habitats: coastal central Angola, northern Namibia, northern Botswana and southwestern Zimbabwe south through South Africa
Quick facts
- Weight
- 29.5 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Passeridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Cape Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open woodland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Cape Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Cape Sparrow (Passer melanurus) belongs to the Passeridae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF subtropical s Africa in savanna and anthropogenic habitats: coastal c Angola, n Namibia, n Botswana and sw Zimbabwe s through South Africa.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 29.5 g, with a wing length of about 7.5 cm and a tail of around 5.9 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 1.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Cape Sparrow?
The Cape Sparrow is a small bird that weighs around 29.5 g.
Where does the Cape Sparrow live?
The Cape Sparrow is found across Africa with a range covering AF subtropical s Africa in savanna and anthropogenic habitats: coastal c Angola, n Namibia, n Botswana and sw Zimbabwe s through South Africa, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Cape Sparrow belong to?
The Cape Sparrow (Passer melanurus) belongs to the Passeridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Cape Sparrow eat?
The Cape Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Cape Sparrow migrate?
The Cape Sparrow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Cape Sparrow 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 Sparrow make?
1 real field recording of the Cape Sparrow — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Cape Sparrow's range?
The Cape Sparrow has a mapped global range of about 1.8 million 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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