Influence of climatic variability on the distribution of red-billed quelea birds ij Hadejia-Nguru wetlands of Nigeria

Abstract

Influence of climatic variability on the distribution of Red-billed Quelea (Quelea quelea) In Hadejia-Nguru Wetlands Northern Nigeria.

Mohammed Inusa Nguru ¹ Mohammed Maina Kaina ²   Abdullahi Mubarak ³ Mustapha Ali ⁴

^1,2,4, School of Science, Department of Science laboratory Technology, Mai Idris Alooma Polytechnic Geidam, Yobe State

³ School of Science Department of Biological Science Adamawa State College of Education

Corresponding email  inmuhammad1970@gmail.com

Abstract

Quelea birds are one of the most abundant and destructive birds in the world, causing $US70 million damage to grain crops per annum. Their food searching behaviour results in crop damage if they cannot find sufficient seeds in natural grasslands. A flock of 2 million can consume 50 tonnes of grain in a day. It is estimated that an individual quelea can eat three to five grams of grain per day and waste a lot more on the ground by its feeding activity. The Red-billed quelea, (Quelea quelea,) is widely distributed throughout Africa and occurs only on the African continent. These birds are long distance migrants the red-billed quelea’s range and migration is determined by suitable breeding conditions which is tied to rainfall patterns. As a result, since rainfall patterns vary annually, so do quelea migration patterns.  Among these Quelea quelea birds are known for their remarkable migration behavior, particularly during the transition from the dry season to the wet season, primarily due to changes in temperature, food availability, and breeding habits. Birds are considered as useful biological indicators because they ecologically adapt to all kinds of habitats. Wetlands are important habitats of fauna. However, the importance of wetlands depends on different factors (wetland size, diversity of vegetation, water quality, food resources and topography. This paper reviews the migration and distribution of quelea based on rainfall and temperature pattern. This clearly indicates that the migration and movement in quelea birds is determine by rainfall pattern and availability of grass seeds which forms their major food.  Using the information of rainfall availability, a forecast model is developed to dertermine the timng of migration of the birds to different parts of their ecological range in Southern Africa