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Quelea

Quelea is a genus of three species of small, gregarious passerine birds in the weaver family Ploceidae, endemic to sub-Saharan Africa: the red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea), the cardinal quelea (Q. cardinalis), and the red-headed quelea (Q. erythrops).^[1] These sparrow-sized birds, typically 11–13 cm in length, feature short tails, stout seed-cracking bills, and streaked plumage that provides camouflage in grasslands; males often display vibrant colors during breeding seasons.^[2]^[3] Primarily granivorous, they form enormous nomadic flocks numbering in the millions, undertaking irregular migrations in response to food availability and rainfall across savannas, semi-arid regions, and cultivated areas.^[4]^[5] The red-billed quelea stands out as the most abundant wild bird species globally, with post-breeding populations estimated at 1.5 billion individuals, enabling massive breeding colonies that can span hundreds of hectares.^[6] This species, along with its congeners, is notorious as an agricultural pest, particularly targeting small-grain crops like sorghum, millet, and rice, leading to substantial economic losses and necessitating ongoing control efforts in affected regions.^[4] While less numerous, the cardinal quelea favors arid thornveld habitats in southern and eastern Africa, and the red-headed quelea occurs in wetter grasslands of central and eastern Africa, both exhibiting similar flocking and breeding behaviors.^[5]^[7]

Taxonomy and systematics

Etymology and history

The genus name Quelea derives from the Latin "quelea," denoting a kind of bird, a term coined by Carl Linnaeus as the specific epithet for the red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea) in his 1758 work Systema Naturae, where he classified it as Emberiza quelea within the buntings and erroneously designated India as the type locality.^[4]^[8] In 1850, German ornithologist Ludwig Reichenbach established the genus Quelea and reassigned the species to it within the weaver family Ploceidae, recognizing its affinities with other African weavers rather than buntings.^[9]^[4] Historically, Quelea species have been identified as weaver birds confined to sub-Saharan Africa, with early scientific accounts highlighting their widespread distribution across grasslands and savannas.^[4] Their recognition as significant agricultural pests emerged prominently in 19th-century colonial reports from European administrations in Africa, which documented massive flocks devastating cereal crops like millet and sorghum in regions such as southern and eastern Africa.^[4] The red-billed quelea (Q. quelea), the most studied species in the genus, comprises three recognized subspecies differentiated primarily by plumage variations and geographic range: the nominate Q. q. quelea (Linnaeus, 1758), distributed in West and Central Africa from Senegal to Chad and northern Central African Republic; Q. q. aethiopica (Sundevall, 1850), found in East Africa from Sudan to Somalia and extending south to Tanzania and Zambia; and Q. q. lathamii (Smith, A., 1836), occurring in Central and Southern Africa from Angola to Zimbabwe and Mozambique.^[4]

Phylogeny

The genus Quelea is placed within the family Ploceidae, specifically in the subfamily Ploceinae, which encompasses the true weavers characterized by their nest-weaving behaviors. Molecular analyses confirm the monophyly of Ploceidae, with Quelea nested in Clade D alongside genera such as Foudia, Ploceus (Asian species), Malimbus, Anaplectes, and Euplectes. This placement is supported by multilocus datasets including three mitochondrial genes (ND2, ND3, ATP6) and four nuclear introns (Myo2, TGFb2, Fib7, MUSK), yielding strong Bayesian posterior probabilities (PP = 1) and maximum-likelihood bootstrap values (>80%) for the family's internal structure. Within Quelea, the three species—red-billed quelea (Q. quelea), cardinal quelea (Q. cardinalis), and red-headed quelea (Q. erythrops)—form a monophyletic clade with robust support from both mitochondrial and combined datasets. The genus Quelea is strongly supported as sister to Foudia (the fodies of the Indian Ocean islands), with this combined clade sister to the Asian Ploceus species; nuclear data weakly suggest potential paraphyly of Quelea relative to Foudia, but this lacks strong backing. These relationships indicate an African origin for the lineage, followed by dispersal events to Asia and the Indian Ocean region, consistent with divergence estimates placing the typical weavers (Clade D) in the Late Miocene (~7.53–10.35 Ma). The classification of Quelea has remained stable, with no major phylogenetic revisions reported through 2025. Historically, the distinct conical bill morphology of Q. cardinalis (and sometimes Q. erythrops) prompted proposals to separate them into a monotypic or paired genus Queleopsis, but this taxonomic change has not been widely adopted in modern classifications, which retain all three in Quelea based on molecular evidence.

Species

The genus Quelea comprises three recognized species of small weaver birds endemic to Africa, all belonging to the family Ploceidae. These species form a monophyletic clade within the genus, characterized by their gregarious nature and adaptations to grassland habitats. The red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea) is the most widespread and abundant species in the genus, occurring across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Somalia and south to South Africa. It is renowned for its enormous population sizes, with peak post-breeding estimates reaching approximately 1.5 billion individuals, making it one of the most numerous wild bird species globally. Three subspecies are recognized: the nominate Q. q. quelea in West Africa, Q. q. aethiopica in East Africa, and Q. q. lathamii in southern Africa, differing primarily in male breeding plumage details such as facial markings and underpart coloration.^[3]^[4] The cardinal quelea (Quelea cardinalis) has a more restricted distribution in East and Central Africa, including countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia. This species measures about 10 cm in length and is distinguished by the bright red head of breeding males, which extends onto the throat and variably onto the breast, contrasting with streaky brown upperparts.^[10]^[5]^[11] The red-headed quelea (Quelea erythrops) occupies a broad range across Africa, recorded in over 40 countries including Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It features a rufous-red head in breeding males, often with blackish barring on the throat, and is notable as a specialist on rice seeds among its grass seed diet, occasionally becoming a crop pest in agricultural areas.^[12]^[7]^[13] All three species are classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, with no status changes reported as of 2025, reflecting their large populations and extensive ranges despite local agricultural conflicts.^[14]^[10]^[12]

Physical description

Size and morphology

Quelea birds are small passerine weavers in the family Ploceidae, typically measuring 11–13 cm in length and weighing 11–26 g, exhibiting a compact, sparrow- or finch-like build across the genus.^[4] Species-specific variations include slightly smaller sizes in the cardinal quelea (Quelea cardinalis) at around 11 cm and 11–15 g, while the red-billed quelea (Q. quelea) and red-headed quelea (Q. erythrops) reach up to 13 cm and 26 g.^[5]^[3]^[7] The bill is characteristically short, stout, and conical, adapted for cracking hard seeds, with a robust structure common to all species for efficient granivory.^[4] In the cardinal quelea, the bill is black, while in the red-billed quelea it is red in breeding adults, with non-breeding adults (both sexes) having a reddish bill that fades post-breeding and breeding females showing a yellowish bill; the red-headed quelea shares a similar red bill form, paler in females.^[4] Wings are short and rounded, facilitating agile, maneuverable flight essential for navigation within dense flocks, complemented by a short tail that enhances stability during rapid turns.^[4] Legs are strong and sturdy, with adaptations for secure perching and hopping on thorny vegetation or ground substrates.^[4] Sexual dimorphism in size is subtle, with males generally larger and heavier than females in species like the red-headed quelea, where males average 18–26 g compared to 15–22 g for females.

Plumage and sexual dimorphism

Queleas display marked sexual dimorphism in plumage, most evident during the breeding season when males develop vibrant colors while females remain relatively drab. In non-breeding plumage, individuals of both sexes across the genus typically exhibit streaked brown upperparts and pale underparts, providing a uniform, inconspicuous appearance. Breeding males, however, undergo a pre-nuptial molt to acquire bright red and black elements, such as facial masks, which are absent in females.^[4] The red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea) exemplifies this pattern. Breeding males feature a red bill, a prominent black facial mask, and polymorphic head and neck coloration that varies continuously from black, yellow, pink, purplish, to white, driven partly by carotenoid pigmentation. Females are duller overall, with streaked brown plumage similar to non-breeding males and a yellowish bill during breeding. Non-breeding adults of both sexes have light underparts, brown-streaked upperparts with yellow-edged flight feathers, and a reddish bill, though the intensity fades post-breeding.^[4]^[4]^[4] In the cardinal quelea (Quelea cardinalis), breeding males develop a striking red head and breast that does not extend to the streaked nape, paired with a black bill. Females lack these reds, instead showing a yellowish face accented by superciliary stripes and a yellowish throat, making them harder to distinguish from non-breeding males in the field. Non-breeding males resemble females but retain faint red traces on the head.^[15]^[15] The red-headed quelea (Quelea erythrops) shows somewhat less pronounced dimorphism. Breeding males have a bright rufous head extending to the nape with black barring on the throat, while females exhibit a duller rufous face with yellowish tones, a supercilium, and white throat. Both sexes share similar non-breeding plumage of streaky brown upperparts and pale underparts, with females featuring a short dark moustachial stripe and a paler bill.^[16]^[16] Following breeding, queleas undergo a post-nuptial molt that transitions males from colorful breeding plumage to the dull non-breeding form, often beginning late in the breeding season and sometimes interrupting to align with reproductive cycles. This molt supports the birds' nomadic lifestyle by restoring camouflage-effective feathers.^[17]^[17]

Distribution and habitat

Geographic range

The genus Quelea is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa, with all three species distributed across the continent south of the Sahara Desert but generally avoiding dense rainforests, elevations exceeding 1,500 m, and extreme arid deserts.^[4]^[14] Their ranges overlap extensively in savanna and grassland regions, reflecting adaptations to open, seasonally variable environments.^[10] The red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea) has the broadest distribution, occupying a near-continuous range from Senegal in the west to South Africa in the south, spanning 37 countries including Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.^[14] It was introduced to the island of Réunion in 2000, where a self-sustaining population has established.^[4] The cardinal quelea (Quelea cardinalis) is more restricted to eastern and central Africa, occurring in 11 countries such as Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.^[10] The red-headed quelea (Quelea erythrops) exhibits a wide but patchy distribution across sub-Saharan Africa, present in 37 countries from Angola and Benin in the west to Sudan in the east, extending south to South Africa and including Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, São Tomé e Príncipe, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.^[12] Range expansions have been documented for the red-billed quelea in southern Africa, including historical expansion into the Eastern Cape province attributed to changes in agricultural practices, as well as more recent steady expansion into the Western Cape province as of 2024–2025.^[18]^[19]

Habitat preferences

Quelea birds, comprising the species Quelea quelea (red-billed quelea), Q. cardinalis (cardinal quelea), and Q. erythrops (red-headed quelea), predominantly favor open, semi-arid to mesic landscapes across sub-Saharan Africa. These habitats include grasslands, thornbush savannas, and floodplains, where homogenous vegetation supports large flocks and colonies. The red-billed quelea, the most widespread species, thrives in dry thornveld and bushed grasslands with scattered acacia trees, often near seasonal water sources that facilitate breeding and foraging.^[3]^[4] Similarly, the cardinal quelea prefers rank grass and wooded grasslands in drier regions, while the red-headed quelea occupies taller grasslands, particularly in areas of higher rainfall below 1,400 m elevation.^[5]^[7] Roosting sites are typically selected for protection and density, such as reedbeds along water edges, thorny acacia bushes, or thorny trees, allowing massive aggregations—sometimes exceeding a million birds—for safety in numbers. Adaptations to these environments include a reliance on proximity to ephemeral water bodies for hydration and nest construction during breeding seasons, as well as tolerance for arid conditions outside of reproduction. Quelea avoid dense forests, extreme deserts like Namibia's coastal dunes, and high-altitude zones above 1,500 m, where vegetation structure and climate limit seed availability and nesting opportunities.^[4]^[3] Human activities have expanded suitable habitats through irrigation in agricultural zones, drawing quelea into farmlands with cereal crops like sorghum and millet, thereby increasing their overlap with human-modified landscapes. This adaptation to irrigated savannas and cultivated floodplains has facilitated population booms in regions previously marginal for the birds.^[4]

Behavior and ecology

Diet and foraging

Queleas are primarily granivorous, feeding mainly on seeds of wild grasses such as Echinochloa spp., Sorghum spp., Panicum spp., Digitaria ciliaris*, Dactyloctenium aegyptium, and Setaria spp., which constitute the bulk of their diet in natural habitats.^[20]^[21] They also consume seeds from cultivated cereals including sorghum, millet, and rice when available, though wild grass seeds predominate outside breeding periods.^[4] Nestlings receive a protein-rich supplement of insects, such as beetles (Coleoptera) and grasshoppers (Orthoptera), mixed with soft grass seeds during their early development.^[20]^[4] Foraging occurs predominantly on the ground or in low vegetation, where queleas glean and strip seeds rapidly in enormous flocks numbering in the millions, enabling them to deplete seed patches efficiently.^[20] These flocks exhibit nomadic behavior, tracking seasonal seed availability that surges after post-rain grass growth in semi-arid regions.^[4] Their conical bills, adapted for cracking small seeds, facilitate this ground-based feeding strategy.^[20] Species within the genus show dietary preferences: the red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea) targets small-grain cereals like sorghum and millet alongside wild grasses, while the red-headed quelea (Q. erythrops) specializes on rice panicles in wetland habitats.^[4]^[13] In contrast, the cardinal quelea (Q. cardinalis) is less oriented toward crops, favoring grass seeds such as Panicum and Setaria spp., with occasional insects like caterpillars and nectar from flowers.^[4] Daily foraging peaks at dawn and dusk, with birds feeding intensively during cooler periods and resting midday in shaded areas; they drink water 2–3 times per day, often congregating at waterholes shortly after leaving roosts.^[22]^[4]

Breeding biology

Quelea species exhibit opportunistic breeding closely tied to rainfall patterns, initiating nest-building 4–9 weeks after the onset of sufficient precipitation (300–800 mm annually) that promotes grass seed availability. In regions like southern Africa, breeding typically occurs from November to March during the rainy season, while in East Africa, up to 3–4 broods per year are possible under favorable conditions.^[4]^[23] This rapid reproductive cycle allows populations to exploit ephemeral resources, with birds reaching breeding age at 9–12 months.^[24] Breeding occurs in massive, highly synchronous colonies that can span 1–100 hectares and contain millions of birds, with nest densities reaching up to 35,000 per hectare in dense Acacia thickets or reed beds.^[25] Males construct retort-shaped nests woven from grass strips, typically oval or flask-like structures 100–130 mm wide, suspended from thorny branches for protection; these are built over 2–3 days solely by males to establish territories limited to the nest vicinity.^[4]^[26] Colonies exhibit strong synchrony, with over 90% of eggs hatching within a 3-day window, facilitating communal defense.^[27] Mating displays involve males in bright red facial and breast plumage performing songs—rapid trills, whistles, and mimicry—while fluttering wings to attract females to incomplete nests.^[4] Females lay clutches of 2–4 eggs (average 3), influenced by their protein reserves, with incubation lasting 9–10 days primarily by the female at night and solar heating by day.^[27] Both parents regurgitate food to nestlings, which fledge after approximately 14 days, though high mortality from predation affects up to 50% of young due to vulnerability in dense colonies.^[19] Egg hatching success exceeds 95%, but nestling losses are density-dependent, often from starvation or predators like snakes and birds.^[27]^[28] The prolific nature of Quelea breeding enables a single large colony to produce several million fledglings per event, with one recorded colony in Namibia producing about 4.8 million in 1978, driven by the scale of colonies and multiple annual attempts, underscoring their potential for rapid population explosions.^[29] Queleas exhibit irregular, rainfall-driven nomadism rather than fixed migratory routes, with movements triggered by the onset of wet seasons and the availability of maturing grass seeds. In the red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea), birds depart from dry-season concentration areas toward regions where rains began weeks earlier, often covering distances of 300–600 km southward in Nigeria during the early-rains migration.^[4]^[30] These nomadic patterns allow flexible exploitation of ephemeral food resources across sub-Saharan Africa, with post-breeding dispersal leading to widespread distribution without predictable annual cycles.^[4] Flocks of queleas can reach enormous sizes during non-breeding periods, numbering in the millions in the red-billed quelea, forming dense, synchronized wheeling formations that enhance predator evasion through collective vigilance and early warning signals.^[31] Roosting occurs in large communal groups, occasionally mixed with other Ploceidae species, where birds perch tightly in vegetation for safety.^[4] These massive aggregations facilitate information transfer on resource locations, with birds at the rear of feeding flocks flying overhead to access fresh areas when seeds deplete.^[32] Non-breeding social structure in queleas is hierarchical, particularly among males, involving agonistic interactions and individual recognition that maintain order within flocks.^[4] Vocalizations play a key role in coordination during movements and roosting, while allopreening behaviors strengthen bonds in communal settings.^[4] The cardinal quelea (Q. cardinalis) and red-headed quelea (Q. erythrops) are less nomadic than their red-billed counterpart, tending to remain more resident within core ranges in eastern and southern Africa, though they still form large flocks numbering in the thousands after rains without strict seasonal patterns.^[5]^[7]

Relationship with humans

Agricultural impact

The red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea) is widely regarded as Africa's most significant avian agricultural pest, often dubbed the "feathered locust" due to its massive flocks that can devastate cereal crops such as millet, sorghum, and wheat.^[33] These birds target ripening grains, leading to crop losses that can reach up to 100% in small-scale farms during intense invasions, particularly in semi-arid regions where subsistence agriculture predominates.^[34] A single flock can strip fields bare within hours, consuming up to 10 grams of grain per bird daily, which compounds the vulnerability of rural communities reliant on these staples.^[35] The red-headed quelea (Quelea erythrops) poses a specialized threat to rice production, focusing on wetland paddies where it damages panicles and reduces yields by feeding on developing seeds.^[36] This species is particularly problematic in irrigated rice schemes across eastern and southern Africa, where flocks descend on crops during the vulnerable milky-grain stage, exacerbating losses in flood-prone areas.^[37] Across sub-Saharan Africa, quelea invasions affect more than 20 countries, translating to economic damages exceeding USD 88.6 million (as of 2025) and severely undermining food security in hunger-prone regions.^[38]^[35] Historical records from colonial-era reports, including early Portuguese accounts, document these impacts on cereal farming, while contemporary outbreaks are intensified by climate variability, such as erratic rainfall patterns that expand breeding habitats and drive flocks into new agricultural zones.^[39]^[40]

Pest control methods

Traditional methods for managing Quelea populations have centered on lethal interventions targeting large aggregations at breeding colonies and roosts. Aerial application of the organophosphate avicide fenthion has been the primary technique since the mid-20th century, enabling rapid destruction of millions of birds in a single operation to curb crop threats.^[41] However, fenthion's acute toxicity to non-target species, including aquatic life, mammals, and beneficial birds, prompted its listing in Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention in May 2025 (with amendments entering into force on 22 October 2025), subjecting ultra-low-volume formulations to the Prior Informed Consent procedure for international trade.^[42] Complementing spraying, night fire-bombing involves detonating fuel-laden explosives in colonies after dusk, incinerating roosting birds and nesting vegetation to disrupt reproduction.^[43] Contemporary approaches emphasize non-lethal and sustainable alternatives to reduce ecological collateral damage. In Kenya and other East African regions, trained falcons and hawks are deployed to intimidate and disperse Quelea flocks from fields, leveraging natural predation cues without killing birds.^[35] Physical barriers like netting over rice paddies, combined with scaring devices such as noise makers or reflective tapes, provide localized protection by denying access to ripening grains.^[44] Emerging technologies include drone-based systems equipped with lasers or sonic emitters to herd flocks away from crops over larger areas, offering precision and minimal environmental footprint.^[40] Harvesting Quelea through traditional traps or nets also serves as a control measure, converting pests into a valuable protein source for local communities facing nutritional deficits.^[45] Regional coordination bolsters these efforts through specialized organizations. The Desert Locust Control Organisation for Eastern Africa (DLCO-EA) and the International Red Locust Control Organisation for Central and Southern Africa (IRLCO-CSA) monitor Quelea movements via aerial surveillance and execute joint operations, including avicide applications and habitat assessments across member states.^[46]^[47] A 2025 FAO webinar highlighted the shift to non-chemical methods, stressing their role in safeguarding raptors from secondary poisoning while promoting integrated pest management.^[48] Overall, Quelea control measures have yielded limited population reductions, often below 20% annually, owing to the species' explosive breeding rates and nomadic patterns that evade complete eradication.^[49] Chemical tactics, in particular, have inflicted substantial harm on non-target avifauna, with residues causing widespread raptor mortality through contaminated prey.^[41]

Conservation and cultural significance

The three species in the genus Quelea—the red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea), red-headed quelea (Quelea erythrops), and cardinal quelea (Quelea cardinalis)—are all classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, reflecting their large, stable populations across sub-Saharan Africa.^[14]^[12]^[10] These birds are among the most abundant wild avian species globally, with estimates for the red-billed quelea alone exceeding one billion individuals. Populations appear to have increased substantially since the mid-20th century, largely due to the expansion of agriculture, which has created abundant cereal crop habitats and food resources that support larger flock sizes and breeding success.^[33]^[50] Despite their abundance, queleas face indirect threats from pest control measures, particularly the use of avicides like fenthion, which can poison non-target species such as endangered raptors that feed on quelea carcasses. In Kenya, for instance, such operations have led to documented deaths of birds of prey, including species like the bateleur eagle, highlighting risks to biodiversity. Climate change poses another emerging threat by altering rainfall patterns and vegetation cycles, which disrupt quelea breeding sites and foraging areas in semi-arid regions, potentially leading to shifts in distribution and local population fluctuations.^[51]^[52]^[53] Beyond their pest status, queleas play positive ecological roles in African ecosystems. They contribute to seed dispersal by consuming and excreting seeds of grasses and other plants, aiding in vegetation regeneration across savannas and farmlands. During the nestling phase, adults feed their young large quantities of insects, helping control pest populations such as locusts and grasshoppers in localized areas. Large roosts also deposit guano that enriches soil nutrients, acting as a natural fertilizer in nutrient-poor regions. Culturally, queleas hold varied significance in African societies. In parts of West Africa, such as around Lake Chad, they are traditionally captured and consumed as bushmeat, providing a protein source during outbreaks. The spectacular aerial displays of massive flocks—sometimes numbering millions—serve as tourist attractions in protected areas like South Africa's Madikwe Game Reserve and Namibia's Etosha National Park, drawing visitors to witness these natural phenomena. In some folklore traditions, large quelea swarms symbolize abundance or impending change, reflecting their dual role as harbingers of plenty in good seasons or destruction during crop raids.^[45]^[54]^[55]

References

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Red-billed Quelea - eBird
A small, short-tailed weaver with a mottled back and a yellow or reddish bill, eye-ring, and legs. When breeding, the male develops a variable black face mask.
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Apr 1, 2021 · The red-billed quelea is a small weaver bird native to sub-Saharan Africa and renowned for its attacks on small-grain crops within Africa.
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Cardinal Quelea - Quelea cardinalis - Birds of the World
Small, short-tailed weaver. Male breeding has bright red head down to throat and to variable extent onto breast; nape and upperparts light brown with dark ...
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quelea - Wiktionary, the free dictionary
From Latin quelea, coined as a specific name by Linnaeus; of uncertain etymology but possibly related to Late Latin qualea (“quail”).
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May 19, 2006 · Genus taxon name: Quelea Reichenbach, 1850 ; Gender: feminine ; Originally described in: ; Type species: Emberiza Quelea Linnæus, 1758.
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This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 ...
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Cardinal Quelea (Quelea cardinalis) identification - Log In - Birda
Phylogeny. DNA analysis reveals that the Cardinal Quelea and the Red-headed Quelea form a clade, which is closely related to the Red-billed Quelea.Missing: sister erythrops molecular
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This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion.
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Inter - jstor
Quelea erythrops responded to this lack of soft seed not by broadening its diet, but by specializing on rice (for which it is a specialist; Ward 1965, Mackworth ...<|separator|>
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1977-1994. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The birds of the western Palearctic. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
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The Cardinal Quelea occurs in South Sudan, north-eastern DRCongo, Uganda, western Kenya, Tanzania and eastern Zambia (see map above, based on Birds of Africa).
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The Red-headed Quelea is a small weaver found in scattered localities through Africa. The male in breeding plumage has a bright red head, closely resembling ...
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Circumstantial evidence was abundant with moulting quelea in breeding condition found in all colonies in the latter part of the breeding season (Table 1).
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Apparent range expansion of the Redbilled Quelea Quelea quelea ...
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Jun 24, 2024 · Female Cardinal Quelea (Quelea cardinalis) and Redheaded Quelea (Quelea erythrops) both have a yellow (not whitish to pink) supercilium.Missing: phylogeny sister molecular
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[PDF] DIETS OF THE RED-BILLED QUELEA ... - UNL Digital Commons
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[21]
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[PDF] TECHNICAL BRIEF RED-BILLED QUELEA BIRDS
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and about 80 per cent less than 40 ha. Our 12 colonies averaged 21 ...
... nests/bush with a maximum of 898 nests in a single bush; the estimated nest density was. 35 720 nests/ha. Overall, in our 12 colonies, the average nest density ...
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NEST FORM AND CONSTRUCTION IN CERTAIN WEST AFRICAN
Four types of nest are characterised: “globular”, “kidney-shaped”, “incomplete kidney-shaped” and “retort-shaped”. The latter may be subdivided into nests ...
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[29]
Red-billed quelea - Wikipedia
The red-billed quelea also known as the red-billed weaver or red-billed dioch, is a small, seasonally nomadic, sparrow-like bird of the weaver family, ...<|control11|><|separator|>
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Red-Billed Quelea - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
Red-billed queleas, an agricultural pest in parts of central Africa, nest in colonies and may roost in groups larger than a million birds. In large aviaries, De ...Missing: historical | Show results with:historical
[31]
The migration patterns of Quelea quelea in Africa - ResearchGate
Aug 9, 2025 · Red-billed Queleas migrate, at the beginning of the wet season, away from their dry-season concentration areas and towards areas where rain started several ...
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The ecological significance of extremely large flocks of birds - PMC
May 6, 2019 · Maximum size of flocks may provide important information on population regulation and the influence of diet and trophic level on maximal degree of sociality.
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The early warning function of flocking in birds - ScienceDirect.com
Two tests are described, using the weaverbird quelea, of the proposed early warning function of flocking in birds (i.e. larger flocks detect a predator ...
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Quelea - Africa's most hated bird - The New Humanitarian
Aug 19, 2009 · The average quelea bird eats around 10 grams of grain per day - roughly half its body weight - so a flock of two million can devour as much as ...Missing: water intake
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One pest, many risks: Quelea birds and the case for safer control
A single bird can eat up to 10 grams of grain per day - a typical flock of two million birds can consume around 20 tonnes daily. The scale of the damage is ...Missing: size | Show results with:size
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the harvest time method as a means of avoiding quelea damage to ...
On arrival early in the morning, in badly-guarded fields, queleas were often able to feed almost uninterrupted for about 40 minutes and the first flocks were ...Missing: foraging habits
[37]
Bird damage to rice in Africa: Evidence and control - ResearchGate
Bird Damage to Rice 247. Conclusion ; Birds, and especially Red-billed Quelea, inflict. substantial losses on rice in Africa. Many factors ; influence the ...
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Quelea - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
Abstract. The red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea) is the most important avian pest of small grain crops in semi-arid zones of Africa.Missing: anatomy | Show results with:anatomy
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[PDF] TRADITIONAL APPROACHES FOR PROTECTING CEREAL ...
Damage caused by the red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea) was noted by early Portuguese explorers and began to cause official concern in the 1980s (Anon. 1975).
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The Tomorrow War - Controlling Quelea Swarms and Ultimately ...
Nov 8, 2022 · Dealing with quelea birds is a complex challenge that overlaps multiple issues including human wildlife conflict, food security, climate change, ...
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A review of the impacts of control operations against the red-billed ...
Aug 7, 2025 · A review of known effects of fenthion and other control measures used against Q. quelea on non-target organisms, provides a basis for comparisons with any ...
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[PDF] Decision Guidance Document Fenthion (Ultra Low Volume ...
Oct 22, 2025 · At its twelfth meeting, held in Geneva from 28 April to 9 May 2025, the Conference of the Parties agreed to list fenthion (Ultra Low Volume ...
[43]
A review of alternatives to fenthion for quelea bird control
Alternatives to the organophosphate fenthion to control quelea birds that minimise environmental damage are reviewed
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Comparing the Effectiveness of Bird Scaring and Netting as ...
Aug 4, 2025 · Comparing the Effectiveness of Bird Scaring and Netting as Mitigation Control Measures of Quelea Bird Damage in Subsistence Paddy Rice Farms ...
[45]
(PDF) Traditional capture of Red-billed Quelea ... - ResearchGate
Aug 6, 2025 · Another control method, harvesting quelea as a source of protein, is benign and could contribute to local nutritional and economic needs. ...
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QUELEA BIRD CONTROL IN THE CENTRAL RIFT ... - DLCO-EA
Jan 25, 2024 · Quelea birds are major crop pests. DLCO-EA supported aerial control in January 2024, controlling 100ha with 200lts of avicide on 8 sites with ...Missing: CSA | Show results with:CSA
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[PDF] Control of transboundary plant diseases and pests
Organization for Central and Southern Africa (IRLCO-CSA) and the Desert Locust Control Organisation for Eastern Africa (DLCO-EA) have their roots in the.
[48]
Webinar on Quelea Birds Control in Africa Without Fenthion - YouTube
Jul 21, 2025 · ... spraying of organophosphate avicides, particularly fenthion. The Chemicals Review Committee recommended listing fenthion in Annex III of the ...Missing: phased 2025
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Rational strategies for the control of queleas and other migrant bird ...
Attempts to make the population reduction strategy effective by increasing the control effort are likely to be unsuccessful and costly. Instead, other crop ...
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Kenyan rice farmers battle quelea birds in Kisumu - BBC
Feb 12, 2023 · In 2021, the UN's Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) estimated that $50m (£41m) worth of crops were lost to the birds annually, mostly in ...Missing: losses | Show results with:losses
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Kenya declares war on millions of birds after they raid crops
Jan 17, 2023 · About 300 acres of rice fields have been destroyed by the birds. A single quelea can eat up to 10 grams of grain a day, according to the Food ...Missing: impact | Show results with:impact
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Kenyan Raptors under Threat Due to Quelea Bird Control
Jan 25, 2023 · Quelea-n colonies attract a significant number of bird predators who face secondary poisoning when they consume Quelea carcasses located up to ...Missing: falcons | Show results with:falcons
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(PDF) Influence of climatic variability on the distribution of Red-billed ...
Jul 19, 2025 · This paper reviews the migration and distribution of quelea based on rainfall and temperature pattern.
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Watch: Massive quelea 'birdstorm' descends on tourists in South Africa
Feb 8, 2017 · A lucky group of tourists in South Africa's Madikwe Game Reserve were recently treated to a "once-in-a-lifetime sighting" of a massive flock ...Missing: cultural bushmeat
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Red-billed Quelea - DeWetsWild
May 8, 2017 · Some of the most impressive sights of our recent visit to the Satara area of the Kruger National Park was the enormous flocks of Red-billed ...