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, Ploceidae, native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is approximately 12 cm (4.7 in) long and weighs 15 to 26 g.
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs widely across savannas, dry grasslands, thorn scrub, and agricultural landscapes throughout sub-Saharan Africa. They favor areas with seasonal grasses and access to water, shifting range with rainfall patterns. Breeding colonies often form in reedbeds or thorny acacias near wetlands or ephemeral pans. They readily exploit cereal fields, stubble, and fallows. Outside breeding, they roost communally in dense vegetation and can travel long distances to feeding sites.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Often called the world’s most abundant wild bird, red-billed queleas can form flocks and breeding colonies numbering in the millions. They track seasonal rains across sub-Saharan Africa, breeding explosively where grass seeds are plentiful. Their massive flocks can devastate cereal crops, earning them the nickname “feathered locust.” Breeding males develop brighter plumage and a striking black facial mask, while non-breeding birds are more uniformly brown and streaked.
Two males of subsp. lathamii at their nest site
Flocking at a waterhole
Temperament
highly social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Forms enormous flocks and dense, colonial breeding aggregations that can include millions of birds. Males weave suspended nests in reeds or thorny trees and display to attract females; colonies erupt soon after good rains. They roost communally and move cohesively between feeding and roost sites.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
A constant chorus of chattering, buzzing, and twittering notes delivered from within colonies and flocks. Calls are not melodious but are loud and persistent, creating a characteristic background buzz over breeding sites and feeding swarms.
