Cape sparrow/ Gewone mossie

Description:

The Cape sparrow 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. Both sexes are mostly coloured grey, brown, and chestnut, and the male has some black and white markings on its head and neck. It inhabits semi-arid savanna, cultivated areas, and towns, and ranges from the central coast of Angola to Lesotho. Three subspecies are distinguished. Cape Sparrows are primarily granivorous, and also eat soft plant parts and insects. The birds typically breed in colonies and gather in large, often nomadic flocks while not breeding. The nest can be constructed in a variety of locations, in a tree or a bush in a hole or an empty nest of another species. A typical clutch contains three or four eggs, and both parents are involved in breeding from nest building to feeding young. The Cape Sparrow is common in most of its range and coexists successfully in urban habitats with two of its relatives, the introduced House Sparrow and native Southern Grey-headed Sparrow. The population has not been recorded decreasing significantly, so according to the IUCN Red List the species is not threatened.

Habitat:

The Cape Sparrow inhabits southern Africa from Angola south to South Africa and east to Lesotho. Its original habitats were the semi-arid savanna, thornveld, and light woodland typical of southern Africa. When settled agriculture arrived in its range about a thousand years ago, it adapted to cultivated land. Since the arrival of settlement, it has moved into towns. The Cape Sparrow prefers habitats with an annual rainfall of less than 75 centimetres (30 in), though in desert areas it is usually found near watercourses or watering holes. While it occurs in urban centres, it prefers parks, gardens, and other open spaces, and has a low reproductive success in more built-up areas. In towns, the Cape Sparrow competes with both the native Southern Grey-headed Sparrow and the introduced House Sparrow. Since it is more established around humans in its range than either, it successfully competes with both species, though they may exclude it from nesting in holes. There are reports by birdwatchers in suburban areas of South Africa of increases in some regions (the northern Johannesburg area, and Pietermaritzburg) and decreases in others (the southern Cape Town area). The House Sparrow is reported decreasing in several urban areas, as it has in parts of Europe, declines which are attributed to factors including the increasing density of garden plantings and increases in predation. These two were visiting the feeding tray in my front yard.

Notes:

Near-endemic to southern Africa, occurring from south-western Angola to Namibia (excluding the north-east), southern Botswana, south-western Zimbabwe and across South Africa, where it is particularly common. It generally prefers arid and semi-arid savanna, dry woodland along drainage lines and many man-made habitats, such as farmland, alien tree plantations, orchards, parks and gardens.