Red billed Quelea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red-billed Quelea |
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| Flock of Red-billed Queleas | |
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Quelea
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Q. quelea
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| Quelea quelea (Linnaeus, 1758)
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The Red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea), also known as the red-billed weaver or red-billed dioch, is a small passerine bird of the Ploceidae family. It is found only in Africa.
There are more quelea than any other bird species in the world: they number over 1.5 billion. Single colonies may have as many as 30 million. Queleas can migrate as far as 2,000 kilometres (1,243 miles). Single flocks can destroy as much as 50 tons of grain a day. Queleas have destroyed over US$22 million of grain in a single year.
Males grow to a length of about 4.75 inches (12 cm) with a 1.75 inch (4.45 cm) tail and weigh 19.47 grams (0.69 oz). Females are a little smaller growing to about 4.60 inches (11.68 cm) with a 1.70 inch (4.32 cm) tail and weigh 18.34 grams (0.65 oz).
Nests are built by the males and take about seven days to complete. Males defend the nest while building it and become very angry when something gets too close. After it is complete, females lay 3 to 7 eggs. Eggs hatch in about two weeks. Males continue to defend the nest after the eggs hatch.
