Useful Links

Bush Blackcap | Lioptilus nigricapillus

The Bush Blackcap is a Southern African bird that belongs to the Sylviidae bird family group which includes birds such as Leaf-Warblers, Babblers, Warblers.

The description for the Bush Blackcap (Latin name Lioptilus nigricapillus) can be found in the 7th Edition of the Roberts Birds of Southern Africa. The Lioptilus nigricapillus can be quickly identified by its unique Roberts identification number of 565 and the detailed description of this bird is on page 814. You will find a picture of the Bush Blackcap on page 817.

NOTE: The reference for the information following is "Roberts Birds of Southern Africa", 7th Edition*. This edition contained a number of taxonomic changes as well as changes to English names used traditionally and in earlier editions of most bird books in South Africa. The following paragraph notes such changes if any.

There have been no changes in the common name between the Roberts 6th and Roberts 7th Edition. There have been no changes in the Latin name for the Bush Blackcap between the Roberts 6th and Roberts 7th Edition

The Bush Blackcap is known in Afrikaans as Rooibektiptol.

The Bush Blackcap is Endemic to the Southern African Region which means that this bird is only found in this region and nowhere else in the world.

The Bush Blackcap has a height of 18 cms and weighs around 30 gms. The head is coloured black while the bill is coloured pink. The Lioptilus nigricapillus has a grey coloured throat, pink legs and a brown coloured back. The eyes are brown.

Take note of the main distinguishing features such as colour, size and leg length relative to the body size. Colours of body parts can be helpful. Be aware what may appear brown to one person is described in Roberts using some other word ... for example brown, black. See colours used in Roberts.

Head is black

Eyes are brown

Bill is pink

Legs are pink

Throat is grey

Back is brown

Feeding Habits ...

This bird forages for food on the ground

The Bush Blackcap is usually seen hunting for food within the tree foliage

This bird eats insects such as butterflies, bees, wasps, locusts and ants. These invertebrates are usually hawked aerially, killed and then eaten .

Breeding, Habitat and Nesting Habits ...

The Bush Blackcap is a monogamous bird which means that the bird finds and breeds with one partner for the rest of its life. The bird lays between 2 eggs and they are coloured white.

The nest is built high up in the tree canopy and is protected from predators by branches and the dense green foligae.

The bird is found in the African bushveld

This bird is very common in most of the Southern African Forests

Seen in Flocks, Singles or Pairs Normally ...

The Bush Blackcap is mainly seen singly or in pairs in the wild.

The reference for the information following is "Roberts Birds of Southern Africa", 7th Edition * edited by PAR Hockey, WRJ Dean and PG Ryan, published by "The Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund."