Funky Bird Cages

Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves, characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweight skeleton.

Red Billed Quelea

Red Billed Quelea

Red Billed QueleaThe Red-billed Quelea (Quelea quelea) is a small bird species that belong to the weaver family (Ploceidae). It is found across sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia and Tanzania in the east, and down to South Africa in the south.

Here are some interesting facts about the Red-billed Quelea:

  • It is considered to be the most abundant bird species in the world, with an estimated global population of over 1.5 billion individuals.
  • The Red-billed Quelea is a small bird, measuring around 4.7 to 5.5 inches (12 to 14 cm) in length and weighing around 0.4 to 0.5 ounces (12 to 14 grams).
  • The male has a bright red bill, and during the breeding season, it develops black facial feathers and a bright red throat patch. The female has a duller bill and lacks facial and throat coloration.
  • Red-billed Queleas are social birds that form large flocks, sometimes numbering in the millions.
  • They are primarily seed-eaters, and their diet consists mostly of grass seeds.
  • Red-billed Queleas are known to cause significant damage to crops, especially cereal crops such as rice and sorghum, and are considered a pest species in many areas.
  • They are also an important food source for many predators, including raptors, snakes, and mammals.
  • Red-billed Queleas are known for their spectacular breeding colonies, which can number in the thousands or even millions of birds. These colonies are often described as a “sea of birds,” and the noise and activity can be overwhelming.

Scientific Name: Quelea quelea

Origin: Africa

This species is a very suitable weaver for novice fanciers. If several pairs are kept, Budgerigars, Cut-throat Finches, or Zebra Finches make suitable companions. Dime single pair is safe with smaller finches if the accommodation is fairly large.

Description:

Size: 15 to 13 cm (4 to 5 in)

Body: golden-brown with dark brown markings. Face: chocolate brown. Beak: red.  Legs: pinky-brown. The plumage of the cock bird turns dull after the breeding season.

Has a pale yellow beak.

Diet: (Seedeater)

Mixed millets, spray millet, plenty of insect food, and half-ripened grain, such as grass seed, form the basic diet. This hardy bird can be kept in an outside flight all year round. However, ensure that the bird roosts in a shelter when molting from nuptial plumage.

Breeding:

Red Billed QueleaThis bird is particularly difficult to breed. However, the cock is a very keen nest builder and is normally assisted by his mate. A ball-shaped nest is constructed with all entrances at one side. Fresh grass is the preferred nest material, so grass clippings should be provided. Pairs often build one nest, destroy it and then rebuild a new one right next to the first. This weaver is a colony nester, so several pairs of birds may be kept to encourage breeding attempts. Even though pairs build plenty of nests, very few reports exist of successful captive breeding, so this bird presents a challenge to the keen fancier. Fighting is not likely unless the aviary is very small.

Red Billed Quelea Information

  • Red Billed Quelea belongs to one of the world’s largest bird species.
  • Its natural habitat is mainly sub-Saharan Africa along the fringes of the forests. ‘
  • The birds can be seen throughout the year and can be easily distinguished because of the large size of the flock. They can also be easily identified because of the typical rolling movement of the birds while devouring grass seeds on the ground.
  • The bird prefers to live in areas like woodlands and open grasslands at an altitude of not more than 2000 meters. During the breeding season, the bird may only specifically be seen in spiky or thorny vegetation of altitude not more than 1000 meters above sea level. The birds mainly breed in the areas like Acacia savannas of Botswana and the lowland regions of South Africa and Zimbabwe.
  • The birds mainly feed on the grasses of the savannas and drink a considerable quantity of water, at least two times a day. Due to the high intake of water, the birds are not seen in the arid regions of Africa.
  • The birds generally travel a long distance from their roosting place to their source of food and water.
  • One of the most notable facts related to the bird is that during the breeding season, they generally reside in a small locality in tens of thousands and sometimes even millions of pairs. They generally are found in places that have considerable amounts of rainfall.

The bird has influenced the ecology of Southern Africa to a great extent. The rooting and nesting of the bird have attracted a great number of predator and scavenger birds like herons, storks, raptors, hornbills, owls kingfishers, rollers, and crows.

Overall, the Red-billed Quelea is a fascinating bird species that is both abundant and important ecologically, as well as a significant agricultural pest in some areas.

See more: Red Crested Bird