Red-billed quelea - Quelea quelea
This bird has a white belly, and black, grey and white feathers. As the name would suggest, the most distinctive feature of this bird is its bright red bill. It is notable for being the most abundant wild bird on the planet (the most abundant bird full-stop is the domesticated chicken). They live in large groups - also referred to as 'super-colonies' - and they will often all raid cultivated land at the same time. The average red-billed quelea eats 10g of grain every day, and there can be millions in a single colony. To counter the destruction of crops, farmers use a chemical called Fenthion in places the species is known to roost or breed. It lives on the southern part of the African continent, mostly in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. However, they can also be found in many sub-Saharan African countries, like Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia. It is predated on by some larger birds, such as falcons, herons and raptors. Its own diet consists of seeds (especially from grasses and grains) and insects such as caterpillars and termites. Of course, as it thrives in the anthropomorphic era, this bird is rated as Least Concern by the IUCN.
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