Quelea

Quelea Related Category: Vertebrate Zoology (kw´l), common name for an East African weaverbird, Quelea quelea. Less than 5 in.

Quelea birds troubled Egypt thousands of years ago, arriving in large flocks wherever grain crops were grown, and eating every seed. Today, this pest bird is still devastating African crops.

Queleas are gregarious birds that enjoy company. They aren´t pet birds, since they wouldn´t be happy living in a cage. They need other birds to relate to. They are quite easy to maintain, but not that easy to breed.

Red-billed Quelea grow to about 12.5 cm long and 15 to 20 g weight. During breeding the male is distingushed by its more colorful plumage and red bill.

Weavers, Queleas, Bishops and Widowbirds are a group of small passerine birds related to the finches. These are seed-eating birds with rounded conical bills, most of which breed in sub-Saharan Africa, with fewer species in tropical Asia.

It is thought by some to be the most numerous bird on planet Earth at this time, although others credit this to the red-headed quelea, a species of weaverbird.

Living prey includes termites, fish, locusts, grasshoppers, army-worm caterpillars, frogs, rodents, crocodile eggs and hatchlings, quelea nestlings, doves, young and adult flamingos, cormorant nestlings, and pelican chicks.

See also: Finch, Weaver, Fly, Locust, Parrot