Evaluation of the food of red-billed quelea (Quelea. quelea) during off-cropping season in Gyawana ecosystem Adamawa State

Abstract

The evaluation of the food items of red-billed quelea during off-cropping season in Gyawana ecosystem was carried out, to ascertain the wild food of Quelea quelea foraged on during off- cropping season. Red-billed quelea (Q, quelea) devastation of crops continues to be a problem that militates against food security in Adamawa State and other arid regions of Nigeria. The bird appears to have alternative food sources which ensure its survival and breeding during off- cropping seasons. The crop contents of Q, quelea were analysed. Nine (9) different food items were identified including seeds of different grasses, insect remains and Grits from the crops of one hundred and fifty (150) Q, quelea sampled for this study. Echinochloa colonum has the highest frequency and magnitude of occurrence in the food items foraged on by the Q, quelea with a mean value of 40.20±0.72, followed by Digitaria ciliaris (35.33±1.03), Digitaria iburua (29.96±1.12), Setaria pallidofusca (29.33±0.41), Roetboellia exaltata (21.67±0.25), Brachiaria mutica (1.71±0.16) and the least seed consumed is Cenchrus biflorus with a mean of 1.15±0.02. Grits was consumed in small quantity (0.15±0.36) by both sexes, while insects remained was observed only in female’s crop of the Quelea birds. Analysis of variance was used to compare the mean number of various seeds consumed by the Q, quelea during the period of the study. The result shows no significant difference in the food items consumed by Red-billed Quelea during off-cropping season at P >0.05. Based on the findings of this research work, the researchers therefore, recommend that further study should be carryout on the food items of Q, quelea during cropping season and also biological control of this Quelea birds (Q, quelea).