Cardinal Quelea male & female, figure from Journal fur Ornithologie (1881)
Cardinal Quelea head of male, figure from Sharpe (1890), with Red-headed and Red-billed Quelea
Cardinal Quelea distribution, type locality circled
Introduction
The Cardinal Quelea was formally described by Karel Johan Gustav Hartlaub, a German physician and ornithologist. Hartlaub described several other weavers.
The Cardinal Quelea was collected by Emin Pasha, a Ottoman-German physician, naturalist, and governor of the Egyptian province of Equatoria on the upper Nile. He collected a large number of birds in Uganda and Sudan.
Emin collected a large number of male and female Cardinal Queleas around Lado in July to August 1879. The specimens were sent to Germany and through exchanges there are syntypes in various museums, including Berlin, Bremen, Bristish Museum and the American Museum of Natural History.
Emin's diaries have been published, and he wrote a little over a page about the Cardinal Quelea. He noted that water was important and flocks flew to drink in the mornings and evenings. While drinking, birds also fed on insects, while they fed on grass seeds during the day. Emin also found nesting colonies in trees and noted the clutch size as 2-4.
The first illustration of the Cardinal Quelea was of the type, but published in the year following the description. The second illustration for the species was published by Sharpe (1890), also showing the two previously described quelea species.
Scientific citation
Hyphantica cardinalis Hartlaub 1880, Journ. f. Orn., 28, p.325 Lado, southern Sudan.
Meaning of names
cardinalis, Med. Latin: cardinalis, a cardinal, a senior bishop of the Roman church who wears scarlet robes.
First English name
Cardinal Dioch (Shelley 1905).
Alternate names
Cardinal Weaver Finch, Red-bib Quelea.
Collector
Emin Pasha.
Date collected
July to August 1879.
Locality collected
Lado, South Sudan.
Type specimens
There are syntypes in various museums, including Berlin, Bremen, Bristish Museum and the American Museum of Natural History.
All news items relating to this species
The headers below refer to Weaver News items featuring 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).
