PHOWN summaries and records

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PHOWN species summary

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See published breeding information below the map.

Red-billed Quelea Quelea quelea

(species text)

PHOWN priorities: none yet

Most recent PHOWN record for this species (recent thumbnails and full species listing at end of this web page):

Vm 29556

No of records in PHOWN for this species: 79

Colony size

Colony size for this species in PHOWN (min - mean - max, sample size) and published data:
PHOWN Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 15
10 - 324448.0 - 5000000 (n=24)in vast colonies with millions of nests, up to 6000 in a single large tree; occasional small colonies (five pairs) reported
Compare colony sizes of different weaver species with this species here.

Nest site

Type of nest site for this species in PHOWN:
other - 1
reed - 7
tree - 15

Breeding seasonality

PHOWN Records per month for this species

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
1514181070110166

Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 15
mainly Aug-Nov in W Africa, and Jun-Sept in Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia; in DRCongo, Sept in E and Jan-May in S; two periods, around Dec-Feb and in May-Jul, in Kenya and Tanzania; Feb-Apr in Angola and Zambia, and Dec-Apr in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa

Figure above right: breeding seasonality shown as records per month (if available), where months are numbered from January where January=1 etc.
The records are grouped into 6 regions: Safr=southern Africa, Cafr=central Africa, Wafr=western Africa, Eafr=eastern Africa, Asia=southern Asia, IO=Indian Ocean islands
Read more about these figures here.

Breeding distribution

Google map of records for this species (you may need to zoom out to see all records)

Google map showing distribution and PHOWN records for the weaver species.
Yellow areas show distribution of the species; for species with small ranges you need to zoom in at the correct area to see the range. Read more about these maps here.
PHOWN pin colours show Nest site type:
- Reed
- Tree
- Man-made
- Other
- Nest Record Cards
CLICK on the marker on the map to see individual record details.

Published breeding information

Breeding information based on Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 15.

bond
Monogamous at each breeding attempt, but also itinerant breeding in which individuals may nest at up to three different locations within a season, thus likely that serial polygamy occurs
season
mainly Aug-Nov in W Africa, and Jun-Sept in Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia; in DRCongo, Sept in E and Jan-May in S; two periods, around Dec-Feb and in May-Jul, in Kenya and Tanzania; Feb-Apr in Angola and Zambia, and Dec-Apr in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa
nsite
placed 1-6 m (mostly 2 m) above ground in thorn tree, sometimes in reeds or sugar cane
nbuild
built by male, taking 2-3 days
colsize
in vast colonies with millions of nests, up to 6000 in a single large tree; occasional small colonies (five pairs) reported
clutch
1-5 eggs, typically 3
eggcolour
pale greenish or bluish, very rarely with some dark spotting
eggsize
average size of 86 eggs 18.3 x 13.2 mm (South Africa)
incub
incubation period 10-12 days
chicks
chicks fed by both sexes, by regugitation (even when insects delivered), at Senegal colony male fed 4.7 times per day, female 6 times, nestling period 10-11 days

Thumb-nails of most recent PHOWN records


Click on one to see its full record

Vm 29556
Vm 27993
Vm 25829
Vm 25229
Vm 25227
Vm 25181

Vm 24143
Vm 18977
Vm 18180
Vm 14732
Vm 14718
Vm 14398

Vm 13596
Vm 9886
Vm 8435
Vm 1658
Vm 1657
Vm 1656

List of all PHOWN records for this species


Click on one to see its full record
17, 2009-4-21,190,South Africa, Nuwerus farm reeds, Oschadleus HD, reed
569, 2011-1-23,0,South Africa, Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, Bernitz Z; Bernitz H, tree
900, 1987-12-3,257,South Africa, Dundee quarry, Oschadleus HD, tree
1017, 2005-7-30,0,South Africa, Farm Langdraai 1172, about 15 km SE of Petrusburg, Nuttall R.J, tree
1655, 2011-12-12,0,South Africa, Corner plot 2800.596S 3003.743E, Oschadleus HD, reed
1656, 2002-12-22,0,South Africa, Lloyds Bay, Oschadleus HD, tree
1657, 2009-12-23,0,South Africa, 21km past Buffalo R (from Dundee) , Oschadleus HD, tree
1658, 2011-12-13,0,South Africa, Dam, North end reeds, Oschadleus HD, reed
8435, 2014-1-19,0,South Africa, Vyevlei farm, net 1, Oschadleus HD; John Fincham; Barry and Sue Schultz, reed
9886, 2014-4-20,0,Tanzania, Near the Big Marsh, Ndutu, Peterson, Daudi, tree
13596, 2014-10-4,3000,South Africa, Kaalspruit at Leeuberg, De Swardt Dawie, other
14398, 2013-1-6,0,South Africa, Ntibane Game Ranch, Magudu District, KZN, Williams Alan, tree
14718, 2013-11-13,0,South Africa, On N5 towards Bethlehem, Cox JH & KC John & Kim, tree
14732, 2015-2-21,0,South Africa, Vyevlei farm, Malmesbury, office reeds, Oschadleus HD, reed
18180, 2004-5-30,0,South Africa, Vredefort-koepel-omgewing, Oschadleus HD, for Whitey Van Pletsens, tree
18977, 2016-3-5,0,South Africa, Vyevlei farm, office reeds, Oschadleus HD, reed
24143, 2016-8-21,0,South Africa, Makojalo Guest-Op-Stal, Cronje Pieter, tree
25181, 2017-3-21,0,South Africa, Mooketsi, Altenroxel Bernardine Alice; Bernard Altenroxel, reed
25227, 2017-3-26,1000,South Africa, Kruger National Park, Glasson A, tree
25229, 2017-3-25,0,South Africa, Kruger National Park, Glasson A, tree
25829, 2017-4-19,20,South Africa, Kruger, Glasson A, tree
27993, 2018-11-19,0,South Africa, Ukulinga Research Farm, reedpatch, Oschadleus HD, tree
29556, 2020-11-7,10,South Africa, Tierpoort rd, south of BFN, De Swardt D H, tree
100435, 1952-3-9,0,Zimbabwe, Nuanetsi, nr Police Station, S. Rhod, DCN Plowes, tree
100436, 1952-4-12,0,Zimbabwe, Nyamandhlovu, S. Rho, junction of Gwaai & Khami Rivers, DCN Plowes, tree
100437, 1955-2-4,300000,Zimbabwe, Gwanda, S. Rhod, 10 miles S of Hwali Dip, 70 miles S of Gwanda, DCN Plowes, tree
100438, 1926-11-14,0,Zimbabwe, 40 Miles From Gadzema, DLB, CD Priest, tree
100439, 1960-3-14,0,Zimbabwe, Chipinga, Rupisi, RK Brooke, tree
100440, 1952-3-8,0,Zimbabwe, Nuanetsi, Mangonde Dip, Game Dept, 0
100441, 1952-3-9,0,Zimbabwe, Nuanetsi, Nuanetsi River, Game Dept, tree
100442, 1952-3-9,0,Zimbabwe, Nuanetsi, 2 miles E of Nuanetsi, Game Dept, 0
100443, 1952-3-11,0,Zimbabwe, Shabani, Shabe R, on ranches North Devon & Inferno, Game Dept, tree
100444, 1954-3-1,0,Zimbabwe, Nuanetsi, 100 miles down, Game Dept, 0
100445, 1959-2-28,0,Zimbabwe, Chipinga, Sabi River, Game Dept, reed
100446, 1959-2-28,0,Zimbabwe, Chipinga, Rupisi, Game Dept, 0
100447, 1959-2-5,0,Zimbabwe, Chipinga, Spongai R, Game Dept, 0
100448, 1952-3-9,0,Zimbabwe, Nuanetsi River, Nuanetsi, DCN Plowes, tree
100449, 1959-2-13,5000000,Zimbabwe, SABI River, Chipangai River, DCN Plowes, tree
100450, 1961-1-29,0,Zimbabwe, Doddieburn, Tzibizine Dam, Gwanda distr, P Johnstone, tree
100451, 1960-2-26,0,Zambia, NR Shore lake Kariba, opposite Binja on SR Shore, N. Rho, GFT Child, tree
100452, 1964-3-15,0,Zimbabwe, Chipinga, SABI Valley, Expt Station, KE Cackett, tree
100453, 1966-5-2,0,Zimbabwe, Champion ranch, Matobo distr, Nat Mus Bulawayo, 0
100454, 1969-5-11,0,Zimbabwe, Chiredzi, Lone star Ranch, KE Cackett, tree
100455, 1969-1-9,250,Zimbabwe, Khani Railway Dam, Newton West, Bulawayo, Matabeleland Rhodesia, JW Hargrove, tree
100456, 1971-2-10,120000,Zimbabwe, Greenham Farm, Que Que, CJ Vernon, tree
100457, 1971-2-11,135000,Zimbabwe, Erin Farm, Que Que, CJ Vernon, tree
100458, 1970-2-13,88000,Zimbabwe, Sinamatella, Wankie Nat Park, CJ Vernon, 0
100459, 1970-2-24,100000,Zimbabwe, Dolilo Vlei, Robins, Wankie Nat Park, CJ Vernon, 0
100460, 1972-4-24,0,Zimbabwe, Deka Farm, Wankie, A Johnson, tree
100461, 1972-1-11,150000,Zimbabwe, 5 miles SW of Nuawetsi ranch Headquarters, Nuanetsi District, CJ Vernon, tree
100462, 1972-1-19,235000,Zimbabwe, Devuli Ranch Angus Section, Bikita distr, CJ Vernon + H Coetzer, tree
100463, 1972-1-20,250000,Zimbabwe, Devuli Ranch, Angus section, Bikita distr, CJ Vernon, tree
100464, 1972-1-22,1000000,Zimbabwe, Devuli Ranch, B section, Bikita distr, CJ Vernon + A Gubb, tree
100465, 1972-1-23,175000,Zimbabwe, Devuli Ranch, A Section, Bikita distr, CJ Vernon, tree
100466, 1972-1-22,95000,Zimbabwe, Devuli Ranch, A Section, Bikita distr, CJ Vernon, tree
100467, 1972-1-23,20000,Zimbabwe, Devuli Ranch, A Section, Bikita distr, CJ Vernon, tree
100468, 1967-5-7,0,Zimbabwe, Sentinel Ranch, Beit Bridge, HD Jackson, 0
100469, 1960-2-26,0,Zambia, Opposite Binga, Lake Kariba, Gwembe prov, GFT Child, tree
100470, -3-31,0,Zambia, Lake Bangweulu, MM Gough, 0
100471, 1961-2-14,125,Zambia, Ndola, Itawa Swamp, PJ Ashton, tree
100472, 1982-11-9,0,Namibia, 1816DB, R Brand, tree
100473, 1982-3-,0,Namibia, Namutoni, Etosha National Park - qv, P Zeilhoper, 0
100474, 1976-1-3,0,Namibia, Etosha National Park, betw Leeubron & Sprokieswoud, CF Clinning, tree
100475, 1982-4-1,20000,Namibia, East (approx 200m) of the Musuarra Waterhole, Etosha National Park, Namutoni Area 2, P Zeilhoper, tree
100476, 1978-5-10,0,Namibia, Etosha National Park, Okaukuejo rifke range, P Mostert, CF Clinning, J Cooper, 0
100477, 1926-11-24,0,South Africa, Halesowen, Cradock distr, HW James, tree
100478, 1928-4-1,0,South Africa, Halesowen, Cradock distr, HW James, tree
100479, 1910-4-5,0,South Africa, Halesowen, Cradock distr, HW James, tree
100480, 1921-4-5,0,South Africa, Halesowen, Cradock distr, HW James, tree
100481, 1952-2-26,0,South Africa, Parys, RJ Greaves, 0
100482, 1956-12-25,0,South Africa, Delmas, Taylors Guest Farm, SG Stander, reed
100483, 1955-1-,0,South Africa, Zwartruggens, Wagenhoutskop, SG Stander, reed
100484, 1955-1-,0,South Africa, Doornpoort, Koster distr, SG Stander, reed
100485, 1968-3-2,0,South Africa, Satara, 4 miles SW Satara, JC Snelling, tree
100486, 1969-3-23,0,South Africa, Satara, KNP, 9 mi N Satara, JC Snelling, tree
100487, 1918-3-15,0,South Africa, De Kroon [farm], Tvl, FEO Mors, 0
100488, 1966-4-8,0,South Africa, Barberspan Nature Reserve, WR Tarboton, reed
100489, 1971-5-22,3900,South Africa, on Sandfontein, Settlers dist, nr Warmbaths, WRJ Dean, tree
100490, 1971-5-22,90000,South Africa, Sandfontein, Settlers dist nr Warmbaths Transvaal, WRJ Dean, tree

All PHOWN news items relating to this species

The headers below refer to Weaver News items featuring PHOWN and this species. Click on a header to see the News item, which includes the full news item. (The number in brackets is the date that the news item appeared on Weaver Watch).


Weaver Wednesday 3 [253] - Range changes [16]: Red-billed Quelea (2017-04-19)
Weaver Wednesday [122] - Discovery [5]: Red-billed Quelea (2014-10-15)
Weaver Wednesday [11]: Red-billed Quelea (2012-08-29)
Red-billed Quelea midday roosts (2011-12-26)