Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Cape White-eye
Zosterops virens
Cape White-eye (Zosterops virens) — 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 White-eye (Zosterops virens) is a member of the Zosteropidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 11.1 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 Zosteropidae White-eyes
- Genus Zosterops
- Species virens
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.1 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Zosteropidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Cape White-eye is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Cape White-eye is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Cape White-eye (Zosterops virens) is a member of the Zosteropidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF s.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.1 g, with a wing length of about 5.8 cm and a tail of around 4.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 977,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Cape White-eye?
The Cape White-eye is a very small bird that weighs around 11.1 g.
Where does the Cape White-eye live?
The Cape White-eye is found across Africa with a range covering AF s, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Cape White-eye belong to?
The Cape White-eye (Zosterops virens) belongs to the Zosteropidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Cape White-eye eat?
The Cape White-eye is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Cape White-eye migrate?
The Cape White-eye is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Cape White-eye 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 White-eye make?
1 real field recording of the Cape White-eye — 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 White-eye's range?
The Cape White-eye has a mapped global range of about 977,000 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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