A typical open-country African bulbul that is uniform ashy-brown in coloration with a yellow undertail and a conspicuous and diagnostic whitish eye-ring. Pairs and small groups forage in coastal scrub, fynbos, and gardens, eating a variety of fruit and invertebrates. It has a typical bubbly musical bulbul song “chit-trit-teet-turp” and chattering calls, higher-pitched and sharper than those of other similar bulbuls. The juvenile Cape Bulbul may be confused with the similar Common Bulbul, but it has a darker belly and will likely be accompanied by adults with their diagnostic eye-rings.