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The Wildebeest's guide to South Africa

Red-billed Quelea

Afrikaans name: Rooibekkwelea

Red-billed Quelea

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.

Flock of Red-billed Quelea

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

EditionRoberts nrScientific name
1st805Quelea quelea lathami
2nd805Quelea quelea
3rd805Quelea quelea
4th805Quelea quelea
5th821Quelea quelea
6th821Quelea quelea
7th853Quelea quelea

EditionRoberts nrEnglish name
1st805Red-billed Quelea
2nd805Red-billed Quelea
3rd805Red-billed Quelea
4th805Red-billed Quelea
5th821Redbilled Quelea
6th821Redbilled Quelea
7th853Red-billed Quelea

EditionRoberts nrAfrikaans name
1st805Rooibek-vink
2nd805Rooibek-vink
3rd805Rooibek-vink
4th805Rooibek-vink
5th821Rooibekkwelea
6th821Rooibekkwelea
7th853Rooibekkwelea

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 - Author: Hazel Stokes - Published: 1979 - Page: 46

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

Southern African Wildlife - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1989 - Page: 200

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

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

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

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

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

Newmans 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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