Cardinal Quelea
Quelea cardinalis
The Cardinal Quelea (Quelea cardinalis) is a rare weaver found in 6 countries, weighing about 13 g. The cardinal quelea is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae.
About the Cardinal Quelea
The cardinal quelea is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae. It is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The cardinal quelea is a small (about 10 centimetres or 3.9 inches long) sparrow-like bird with a short heavy black bill, that breeds in colonies. The male in breeding plumage has a red head extending onto the breast but not onto the streaked nape. The female has a yellowish face, brow stripes and throat. The non-breeding plumage of the male resembles that of the female, but retains some red on its head.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, April, May, June, July, August, September, November, December, with peak activity in June. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Cardinal Quelea?
- The cardinal quelea is a small (about 10 centimetres or 3.9 inches long) sparrow-like bird with a short heavy black bill, that breeds in colonies. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Cardinal Quelea?
- The Cardinal Quelea is a tiny sized bird weighing about 13 g.
- Where can you see a Cardinal Quelea?
- The Cardinal Quelea occurs in 6 countries, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Malawi.
- What birds look similar to a Cardinal Quelea?
- The Cardinal Quelea is most easily confused with the Red-headed Quelea and the Red-billed Quelea.
- Is the Cardinal Quelea endangered?
- The Cardinal Quelea is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Cardinal Quelea for real
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