From Opus

Photo by GiGi
Cape of Good Hope, South Africa

Emberiza capensis

Includes Vincent's Bunting

[edit] Identification

The Cape Bunting is 16cm long, mass is 17-27 g. The adult has a black crown, white supercilium and black-bordered white ear coverts. The upper parts are grey brown with some dark streaks, and the wing coverts are chestnut. The tail is darker chestnut, and the underparts are grey with a pale throat. The sexes are similar, but females may have a buff tone to the white head markings. Young birds have duller chestnut wings, a less distinct head pattern, and heavier streaking extending on to the breast and flanks.

[edit] Distribution

Southern Africa: South Africa, Lesotho, western Swaziland, Namibia, south western Angola, eastern Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and western Mozambique.

[edit] Taxonomy

There are 11 subspecies; variation is mainly in the coloration of the back, mantle and under parts.

[edit] Habitat

Rocky slopes and dry weedy scrub, mainly in mountains in the north of its range.

[edit] Behaviour

The Cape Bunting is not gregarious, and is normally seen alone, in pairs or family groups.

It feeds on the ground on seeds, insects and spiders.

Its lined cup nest is built low in a shrub or tussock. The 2-4 eggs are cream and marked with red-brown and lilac.

[edit] References

Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ & Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, 7th edition. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town, South Africa. ISBN 0620340533

[edit] External Links