Red-billed Quelea

Quelea quelea (Linnaeus, 1758)

Red-billed Quelea, Quelea quelea, is a widespread breeding bird across Africa in the weaver family. It is a small, sparrow-like species that was described by Linnaeus in 1758. It lives in sub-Saharan Africa and avoids forests, deserts and colder places, including high ground and southern South Africa. The bird nests in large colonies, making oval, roofed nests from grass strips, usually suspended from thorny branches, sugar cane or reeds. Three subspecies are recognised, with different ranges across western, central, eastern and southern Africa.

Order

Passeriformes

Family

Ploceidae — Weavers, Widowbirds

Breeding range

Africa: widespread