Quelea

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Quelea
Quelea quelea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Ploceidae
Genus: Quelea
L. Reichenbach, 1850
Species

Quelea cardinalis
Quelea erythrops
Quelea quelea

Quelea is a small genus of passerine birds that belongs to the weaver family Ploceidae, confined to Africa. These are small-sized, sparrow- or finch-like gregarious birds, with bills adapted to eating seeds. Queleas may be nomadic over vast ranges; the Red-billed Quelea is said to be the most numerous bird species in the world.[1]

Taxonomy

There are three species:

A male Red-headed Quelea building a nest in South Africa
A flock of red-billed queleas

References

  1. Sekercioglu, Cagan Hakki (2006). "Foreword". In Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott & David Christie (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World, Volume 11: Old World Flycatchers to Old World Warblers. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. p. 48. ISBN 84-96553-06-X. 
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