Vincent's Bunting

The Cape bunting, Emberiza capensis, presents itself as a modestly sized passerine, measuring a length of 16 cm. It boasts a distinguished black crown, complemented by a striking white supercilium and ear coverts bordered in black. The bird's upperparts are adorned with grey-brown plumage, subtly streaked with darker tones, while the wing coverts exhibit a rich chestnut hue. The tail is a deeper shade of chestnut, and the underparts are a soft grey, transitioning to a paler throat. Both sexes share a similar appearance, though females may exhibit a buff tinge to their white head markings. Juveniles are characterized by less vibrant chestnut wings, a less defined head pattern, and more pronounced streaking that extends onto the breast and flanks.

Identification Tips

When observing the Cape bunting, look for the distinctive head pattern with its black and white contrasts, as well as the chestnut coloration in the wings. The bird's size and the streaking on the upperparts can aid in identification, particularly when distinguishing juveniles from adults.

Habitat

The Cape bunting favors rocky slopes and dry, weedy scrub, predominantly in mountainous regions in the northern part of its range. It has adapted to stony, arid areas with sparse grass, although habitat loss due to agricultural expansion has impacted these environments.

Distribution

This species is found across southern Africa, with its range extending from southwestern Angola, eastern Zambia, and Zimbabwe to southern Tanzania, all the way down to the Cape.

Behaviour

The Cape bunting is known for its solitary nature, often observed alone or in small family groups. It forages on the ground, feeding on a diet of seeds, insects, and spiders. Nesting occurs low in shrubs or tussocks, where it constructs a lined cup nest. The clutch typically consists of two to four cream-colored eggs, adorned with red-brown and lilac markings.

Song & Calls

The call of the Cape bunting is an ascending series of notes, transcribed as "zzoo-zeh-zee-zee." Its song is a robust series of chirps, described as "chup chup chup chup chee chhep chu." The northeastern subspecies, E. c. vincenti, delivers a simpler song, which can be rendered as "tre-re-ret tre-re-ret."

Breeding

Breeding behavior includes the construction of a lined cup nest situated low in a shrub or tussock. The eggs, numbering between two and four, are cream in color with tasteful red-brown and lilac spots.

Similar Species

While there are ten subspecies of the Cape bunting, they all share the characteristic head pattern and rufous wing coloration. The northeastern race, E. c. vincenti, is notably darker above and slaty below, with reduced chestnut on the wing coverts, and is sometimes considered a separate species, Vincent's bunting.

Diet and Feeding

The Cape bunting's diet consists of seeds, insects, and spiders, which it forages for on the ground.

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List has classified the Cape bunting as Least Concern, indicating that the species does not currently face a significant risk of extinction.