The Red-billed Quelea is the most abundant wild bird species. They are found in sub-Saharan Africa where their colonies can include tens of thousands to millions of pairs.
They are sexually dimorphic during the breeding season where males in all of the sub-species have a mask which varies from black to white. The male breast and crown plumage also varies from yellowish to bright red depending on the sub-species. During non-breeding season, the males resemble the females and their plumage is beige and cream. During breeding, the female has a yellow bill and a red-bill during non-breeding season.
Red-billed Quelea eat annual grasses, seeds and grain. They feed in huge flocks and cooperate together to find suitable feeding places. They large numbers can cause serious damage to crops.