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Is this a Minor Pest?
Yes
Minor Pest Title
Birds
Minor Pest Description
The red-billed quelea is a small weaver bird native to sub-Saharan Africa and renowned for its attacks on small-grain crops within Africa. It is the most numerous bird species in the world. The red-billed quelea is mainly granivorous, except when feeding its chicks insects or when eating insects prior to migration or breeding, and it relies on a supply of grass seeds to survive. When unable to find grass seeds or when opportunities arise, quelea will attack crops such as wheat, millet, oats, sorghum, teff, rice.
It is a major pest throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa and can cause significant economical losses.
The bird is inherently nomadic and this nomadism accounts for its invasions into areas where it was previously absent.
Minor Pest What to do.
- Use of Early Warning System
- Scaring of birds. Wheat farmers have found that stringing aluminium or bright coloured plastic strips that move with the wind across the wheat fields can act as a deterrent to quelea and weaver birds. If this cannot be found others employ young boys with a long rope to patrol the field and snap the rope as a whip whenever the birds try to settle and eat in an area.
Minor Pest Position
2
Minor Pest Firstcontent
168
Host Plants
Wheat
Featured Image
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