Red-billed quelea
The red-billed quelea is a small, social bird known for its striking red, cone-shaped bill and distinctive breeding behavior. These birds typically measure about five inches in length and weigh between 14 to 28 grams. They are primarily found in grassland habitats, where they feed on grass seeds, and have been known to cause significant agricultural damage, leading to their nickname "feathered locusts." Red-billed queleas are remarkable for their communal nesting habits, often forming massive colonies that can number in the thousands, with some trees housing up to 6,000 nests.
During breeding season, male queleas display vibrant plumage, with their heads and breasts turning bright red, while their faces turn black. The breeding season is influenced by local rainfall patterns, and after mating, females lay pale blue eggs that both parents help to nurture. These birds' remarkable adaptability includes the ability to store food in their enlarged crops, allowing them to survive periods of food scarcity. Despite their resilience, they face predation from various larger animals, and their average lifespan is typically around two to three years.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Red-billed quelea
Red-billed queleas are social birds that live and breed in large colonies. Some trees may have 500 to 6,000 nests. These small birds have great appetites. If grass seeds are unavailable, a flock of birds may quickly clear a farmer's crop. This damage has given them the name "feathered locusts."
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Ploceidae
Genus: Quelea
Species: Quelea
A bright red, cone-shaped bill gives these birds their name. When not breeding, the males and females have similar plumage, or feathering. Each has brownish-yellow plumage with white outlines along the edges of the feathers on their backs and wings. Their breasts and bellies are tan, light yellow, or cream. The males keep their red bills throughout the year, while the females' bills change from red to yellow-brown sometime during the breeding season. Each also has a thin, red ring around each round, black eye throughout the year. When breeding, males acquire bright red plumage on their heads and breasts. Their faces also turn black. Red-billed queleas are five inches (13 centimeters) long and weigh between 1/2 and 1 ounce (14 to 28 grams).
Their short, red bills are designed for picking up and crushing seeds, most of which are grass seeds, in their grassland habitats. They also have large pouches in their chests between their gullets, or throats, and gizzards, or stomachs. The birds can store large quantities of food in these pouches, called crops. Crops may become so stuffed with seeds, that the seeds can be identified beneath the tightly-stretched skin. When a flock of queleas clears a field of its grass seeds or if food is unavailable, they may find a farmer's wheat, corn, or rice field. They can quickly destroy crops, giving them the name “feathered locusts.” A flock of queleas may fly 30 to 40 miles (48 to 64 kilometers) each day to find food. They leave the roost in the morning and scatter over a large area to feed. During hot afternoons, the birds settle in the shade to rest, preen, and find water. When it is cooler, the birds feed again before roosting for the night.
Red-billed queleas are social birds that roost, eat, and breed in huge flocks. Sometimes, branches break under the weight of the nesting or perching birds. A small tree may hold up to 500 nests, while larger trees may contain nearly 6,000 nests. Each nest is a masterpiece of weaving skill, as these birds belong to the family of weaver birds. Red-billed queleas are one of over 100 species of “true weavers” belonging to the subfamily Ploceinae.
The breeding season for red-billed queleas depends on the region and the rainy season. The male builds part of a nest and perches there to attract a female. After forming a pair, they finish building the oval-shaped nest. The female lays one to five but usually three pale blue eggs and incubates them for 10 to 12 days. The mother and father bring caterpillars and insects to their young. Later, they bring seeds as the young grow. After 11 to 13 days, the young fledge, or fly for the first time. After another two weeks, they are independent and can breed after one year.
Large birds, snakes, foxes, and lizards prey on queleas. The life span of red-billed queleas is two to three years.
Bibliography
Craig, A. J. F. "Red-billed Quelea (Quelea Quelea)." Birds of the World, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2020, birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/rebque1/cur/introduction. Accessed 15 Apr. 2024.
"Red-Billed Quelea Bird." A-Z Animals, 5 Apr. 2022, a-z-animals.com/animals/red-billed-quelea-bird. Accessed 15 Apr. 2024.