Quelea Research Collection

Collection

Identifier: MS0430

Staff Only

Content Description

The Quelea Research Collection consists of reports and notes collected by Richard L. Bruggers, director of the National Wildlife Research Center. The documents are primarily published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations; however, many are produced by government and non-government entities. Materials include research reports, technical reports, conference minutes, and other types of informational reports, many with maps. There are documents in English, and translations in French and Spanish. Many documents are accompanied by brief notes from Dr. Bruggers. The notes were not digitized.

Dates

Creation: 1960-1999

Language of Materials

French, Spanish

Conditions Governing Access

Contact Special Collections for access.

Historical Note

Quelea is the common name for an East African weaverbird (Quelea quelea). Less than 5 inches (13 cm) long and weighing slightly more than one-half ounce (1.3 grams), the tiny birds are found throughout sub-Saharan Africa in areas receiving less than 30 inches (76 cm) of annual rainfall. With the spread of grain farming and irrigation, the birds have extended their natural habitats, generally picking new breeding grounds every year. Highly mobile, they often descend in a locust-like manner upon fields, and in flight may indeed be mistaken for a swarm of locusts. Queleas are often found in concentrations of more than a million birds; such a flock can destroy up to 60 tons of grain in a single day, consuming half and knocking the rest to the ground.