Cape White-Eye
Zosterops virens
About This Species
A common and confiding bird of South African gardens, thickets and forest edge, the Cape White-eye moves in small active flocks gleaning insects and soft fruit from foliage. Its wheezy, chattering calls usually give it away before it comes into view, and it will readily visit fruit or sugar-water feeders. Present year-round, it is easiest to see at close range in gardens with dense shrubbery or flowering trees.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- As a common garden species it tolerates people reasonably well, but feeders and nest sites should still be watched from a comfortable distance rather than approached directly.
- Indigenous birds are protected under South Africa's biodiversity legislation, and nests should not be handled or disturbed.
- Letting the birds come to a feeder rather than crowding it gives more natural views.
LCAvesPasseriformesZosteropidae
Seasonal Activity
297,887 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Zosteropidae
Photo
(c) John Gale, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by John Gale
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.