Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Northern Cape · Best Aug to Oct
6 places
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Cape Sparrow
Passer melanurus
The Cape sparrow or mossie (Passer melanurus) is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae found in southern Africa.
Species insights
When to visit
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Best monthsAny month
Recorded in Northern Cape~487 records
Curve from 6,961 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property and not from this province. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Where you'll find it
Western Cape and beyond
Provinces where Cape Sparrow is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
6,960 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Cape Sparrow
Stays that give back
Across the Northern Cape
Grootkolk Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Cape Sparrow recorded here · Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Springbok
From R 2,634 a night
Bitterpan Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Cape Sparrow recorded here · Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Camel thorn
From R 2,634 a night
Kieliekrankie Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Cape Sparrow recorded here · Savanna biome · Camel thorn · Gemsbok
From R 2,634 a night
Gharagab Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Cape Sparrow recorded here · Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Giraffe
From R 2,634 a night
Kalahari Tented Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Cape Sparrow recorded here · Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Springbok
From R 2,314 a night
Urikaruus Wilderness Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Cape Sparrow recorded here · Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Springbok
From R 2,634 a night
More stays nearby
Rooikloof Guest Farm
Sutherland
Succulent Karoo biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Saving Private Rhino
From R 1,600 a night
Richmond Rooms
Richmond
Nama-Karoo biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Boundless
From R 1,230 a night
Mooifontein Farm
Colesberg
Nama-Karoo biome · Spekboom
Gives back to Boundless
From R 1,486 a night
Frontier River Resort
Northern Cape
Desert biome · Spekboom
From R 2,050 a night
Twee Rivieren Rest Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Camel thorn
From R 450 a night
Sendelingsdrif Rest Camp
Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
Desert biome · Halfmens · Quiver tree
From R 311 a night
Mata-Mata Rest Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Camel thorn
From R 450 a night
Motswedi Camp Site
Mokala National Park
Savanna biome · African elephant · Brown hyena
From R 628 a night
Kokerboomkloof Camp Site
Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
Succulent Karoo biome · Quiver tree · Spekboom
From R 311 a night
Skilpad Rest Camp
Namaqua National Park
Succulent Karoo biome · Spekboom
From R 953 a night
Mosu Lodge
Mokala National Park
Savanna biome · Camel thorn · Spekboom
From R 1,401 a night
Tankwa Karoo Rest Camp
Tankwa Karoo National Park
Succulent Karoo biome · Gemsbok · Springbok
From R 192 a night
Nossob Rest Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Savanna biome · Gemsbok · Brown hyena
From R 450 a night
Augrabies Falls Rest Camp
Augrabies Falls National Park
Nama-Karoo biome · Gemsbok · Giraffe
From R 362 a night
Lilydale Rest Camp
Mokala National Park
Savanna biome · Mopane · Spekboom
From R 1,206 a night
Elandsberg Rest Camp
Tankwa Karoo National Park
Succulent Karoo biome · Spekboom
From R 1,741 a night
De Hoop Camping Site
Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
Fynbos biome · Gemsbok · Springbok
From R 373 a night
The Apollis Cottage
Concordia, Springbok
Succulent Karoo biome · Springbok · Spekboom
From R 1,700 a night
The Karoo
Next stop
South Africa's vast inland heart: silence, stars, and wide horizons
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Cape Sparrow
Hosts have recorded the Cape Sparrow at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Species
Passer melanurus
Records
6,960
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Cape Sparrow on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Cape Sparrow in Northern Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Cape Sparrow at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Cape Sparrow in South Africa?
The Cape Sparrow is most recorded in Western Cape (55% of records), Gauteng (18% of records), Eastern Cape (12% of records), based on 6,960 iNaturalist observations. 6 places to stay on Spekboom in Northern Cape have recorded the Cape Sparrow on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Cape Sparrow?
The Cape Sparrow is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Cape Sparrow?
The Cape sparrow or mossie (Passer melanurus) 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 in both sexes. Its plumage is mostly coloured grey, brown, and chestnut, and the male has some bold black and white markings on its head and neck.