Cape Sparrow: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Pigeons, Doves and Sparrows · day 7 of 7

Five facts

1. Groups of 20-30 Cape sparrows stand with heads held high, and often hover 30-60 cm above the ground.
2. Those hovering gatherings are silent and never antagonistic. Their meaning is unknown, and no other sparrow is reported to do it.
3. Cape sparrows line their nests with aromatic leaves such as thyme and camphor, which may protect against parasites.
4. By day, both parents take turns on the eggs, swapping every 10 to 15 minutes. At night, the female sits alone.
5. Near farms and towns, Cape sparrows make extra nests just for sleeping, packed with more insulation than breeding nests.

The quiz

1. How high do hovering Cape sparrows rise above the ground?

• 30-60 cm (correct)
• 5-10 cm
• 2-3 m
• 1 m

They often hover 30-60 cm above the ground.

2. How do the birds behave during these gatherings?

• They sing loudly together
• They fight over space
• They are silent and never antagonistic (correct)
• They hop away in pairs

The birds are silent and never antagonistic.

3. What may the aromatic leaves in a Cape sparrow nest protect against?

• Cold nights
• Parasites (correct)
• Hungry snakes
• Heavy rain

The aromatic leaves may protect against parasites.

4. How often do the parents switch places on the eggs by day?

• Every two hours
• Once a day
• Every few days
• Every ten or fifteen minutes (correct)

By day they switch every ten or fifteen minutes.

5. What is special about Cape sparrow roosting nests in towns and farmland?

• They are built much higher up
• They are lined with feathers only
• They have more insulating material than breeding nests (correct)
• They are shared by hundreds of birds

Roosting nests have more insulating material than breeding nests.

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