Lake Beseka, Ethiopia
January 2016
The Red-billed Quelea has been described as possibly the most abundant bird in the world. It is distributed throughout much of Africa outside the rainforest. See the distribution map at Birdlife International. It is found in bush, grasslands and in agricultural areas where it feeds on grass and cereal seeds.
The breeding male has a black mask while the non-breeding male and the female have streaked plumage a bit like a sparrow, a red bill and a white superciliary.
They are migratory and tend to follow rainfall. When they arrive they can appear in enormous flocks and are regarded by many farmers as a pest.
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