Red-billed Quelea

Afrikaans name: Rooibekkwelea

Photo © EcoView - Fotolia.com

Quelea quelea

The Red-billed Quelea is a well-known bird with a reputation for wiping out crops. They can be found in flocks, some of which are gigantic and can take hours to fly past.

These birds are found in sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa excluding the southern most portions of the country.

Queleas feed on seeds which can be from crops or from grasses. A large flock can flatten a field of grain in no time.

Photo © EcoView - Fotolia.com

Red-billed Queleas breed in colonies which may include millions of birds. The large concentration of chicks and eggs attracts many predators including birds of prey, herons, hornbills, snakes and many others.

Roberts Birds Names by Edition

Edition	Roberts nr	Scientific name
1st	805	Quelea quelea lathami
2nd	805	Quelea quelea
3rd	805	Quelea quelea
4th	805	Quelea quelea
5th	821	Quelea quelea
6th	821	Quelea quelea
7th	853	Quelea quelea

Edition	Roberts nr	English name
1st	805	Red-billed Quelea
2nd	805	Red-billed Quelea
3rd	805	Red-billed Quelea
4th	805	Red-billed Quelea
5th	821	Redbilled Quelea
6th	821	Redbilled Quelea
7th	853	Red-billed Quelea

Edition	Roberts nr	Afrikaans name
1st	805	Rooibek-vink
2nd	805	Rooibek-vink
3rd	805	Rooibek-vink
4th	805	Rooibek-vink
5th	821	Rooibekkwelea
6th	821	Rooibekkwelea
7th	853	Rooibekkwelea

References and further reading

Wildlife of Southern Africa - Author: Martin Withers and David Hosking - Published: 2011 - Page: 182

World Birds - Author: Brian P. Martin - Published: 1987 - Page: 63

World Birds - Author: Brian P. Martin - Published: 1987 - Page: 180

The Birds of South Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Dr. Austin Roberts - Published: 1949 - Page: 344

The Sandton Field Guide - Author: Sandton Nature Conservation Society - Published: 1982 - Page: 65

Southern African Wildlife - Author: Reader s Digest - Published: 1989 - Page: 200

The Birds of South Africa - Author: Hazel Stokes - Published: 1979 - Page: 46

Southern African Bird Names Explained - Author: Charles Clinning - Published: 1989 - Page: 121

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 1993 - Page: 388

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 4th Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 2011 - Page: 422

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 5th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1985 - Page: 730

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 6th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1993 - Page: 729

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 3rd Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1975 - Page: 562

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 4th Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1981 - Page: 571

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 2nd edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1957 - Page: 434

Roberts Bird Guide - Author: Hugh Chittenden - Published: 2007 - Page: 322

Questions and Answers - Birds of Southern Africa - Author: Deirdre Richards - Published: 1990 - Page: 27

Newman s Birds of Southern Africa - 7th Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 2000 - Page: 404

Pollinators, Predators and Parasites - Author: C. Scholtz, J. Scholtz, H. De Klerk - Published: 2021 - Page: 213

More Garden Birds of Southern Africa - Author: P. Ginn & G. McIlleron - Published: 1981 - Page: 28

Newman s Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 1984 - Page: 404

LBJ s - Author: Newman, Johnson, Solomon, Masterson - Published: 1998 - Page: 112

KwaZulu-Natal - A celebration of biodiversity - Author: Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife - Published: 2002 - Page: 164

Geoff Lockwood s Garden Birds of Southern Africa - Author: Geoff Lockwood - Published: 0 - Page: 109

Ian Sinclair s Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair - Published: 1988 - Page: 308

Field Guide to the Birds of Kruger National Park - Author: Ian Sinclair and Ian Whyte - Published: 1991 - Page: 204

Garden Birds in South Africa - Author: Duncan Butchart - Published: 2017 - Page: 142

Collins Illustrated Checklist - Birds of Southern Africa - 1st edition - Author: Ber van Perlo - Published: 1999 - Page: 78

Everyone s Guide to South African Birds - Author: John Sinclair and John Mendelsohn - Published: 1987 - Page: 37

Birds of the Transkei - Author: C.D. Quickelberge - Published: 1989 - Page: 116

Birds of the Transvaal - Author: Tarboton, Kemp and Kemp - Published: 1987 - Page: 258

Birds of Southern Africa - Kruger National Park - Author: Kenneth Newman - Published: 1985 - Page: 208

Birds of the Kruger and other National Parks - Volume 3 - Author: National Parks Board - Published: 1974 - Page: 6

Birds of Africa south of the Sahara - Author: Ian Sinclair and Peter Ryan - Published: 2003 - Page: 678

Bird Atlas of Natal - Author: Digby Cyrus and Nigel Robson - Published: 1980 - Page: 274

A Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: O.P.M. Prozesky - Published: 1983 - Page: 302

Animals of the Kruger National Park - Author: G. de Graaff - Published: 1987 - Page: 113

BirdLife South Africa

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List of South African Birds