Cape penduline tit
The Cape penduline tit or southern penduline tit ("Anthoscopus minutus") is a species of bird in the family Remizidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are dry savannah, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation. At in length, it is one of the smallest species of bird found in Africa, along with its cousins the grey penduline tit and the mouse-coloured penduline tit. Taxonomy. The Cape penduline tit was formally described and illustrated in 1812 by the English naturalist George Shaw under the binomial name  Sylvia minuta. The species is now placed in the genus "Anthoscopus" that was introduced in 1851 by the German ornithologist Jean Cabanis. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek "anthos" meaning "blossom" or "flower" with "skopos" meaning "searcher". The specific epithet "minutus" is Latin meaning "little". Three subspecies are recognised: Behaviour. Breeding. They build a globular nest made of the webs of "Stegodyphus" spiders as well as silken fibre from various plants. An entrance hole is made on the side and towards the end, a false entry and chamber are constructed below the actual entrance to the nest chamber. The  spout at the entrance has a separating septum with the entrance to the actual nest chamber at the upper portion, the septum pushed up with its forehead to close the upper entrance by the bird just before leaving the nest so as to show only the main entrance leading into a blind chamber. This is a defence against snakes and other nest predators.