Red-billed Quelea Quelea quelea

The Red-billed Quelea is native to much of sub-Saharan Africa except for dense forested areas. It is the world's most numerous wild bird and lives in swarms rather than flocks, making it an agricultural pest in many areas. Appearance is variable.

Generally the breeding male has a red bill, red eye-ring and a black face mask, but moults to look like the female outside of the breeding season.

The breeding female has a yellow bill and yellow eye-ring, but no black face mask, and has a red bill when not in breeding plumage. Chicks have horn-coloured bills.

They build oval, vertical, woven nests with a side entrance. Trees containing multiple nests are burnt or sprayed with toxins by farmers who also kill rarer birds as unintended collateral damage.

They are closely related to the fodies of Madagascar.