Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-billed Quelea
Quelea quelea
Red-billed Quelea (Quelea quelea) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 13 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-billed Quelea (Quelea quelea) is a member of the Ploceidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 18.6 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Ploceidae Weavers, Widowbirds
- Genus Quelea
- Species quelea
Quick facts
- Weight
- 18.6 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-billed Quelea is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Red-billed Quelea is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Red-billed Quelea (Quelea quelea) belongs to the Ploceidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 18.6 g, with a wing length of about 6.6 cm and a tail of around 3.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 10.6 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-billed Quelea?
The Red-billed Quelea is a small bird that weighs around 18.6 g.
Where does the Red-billed Quelea live?
The Red-billed Quelea is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Red-billed Quelea belong to?
The Red-billed Quelea (Quelea quelea) belongs to the Ploceidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Red-billed Quelea eat?
The Red-billed Quelea is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Red-billed Quelea migrate?
The Red-billed Quelea is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Red-billed Quelea endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Red-billed Quelea make?
1 real field recording of the Red-billed Quelea — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Red-billed Quelea's range?
The Red-billed Quelea has a mapped global range of about 10.6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Ploceidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.