Quelea most related to "Foudia", a genus of six or seven species that occur on the islands of the western Indian ocean. This clade is sister to the Asian species of the genus "Ploceus". The following tree represents current insight of the relationships between the species of "Quelea", and their closest relatives. "Q. quelea" is a major pest to small-grain cereal crops in much of sub-Saharan Africa; the kernels of corn are too big for it. "Q. erythrops" may cause substantial damage to rice. "Q. cardinalis" is not known to raid crops. Quelea Quelea is a genus of small passerine birds
Red-billed quelea and wing coverts and flight feathers have buff margins. At an age of about five months they moult again and their plumage starts to look like that of breeding adults, with a pinkish-purple bill. Different subspecies are distinguished by different colour patterns of the male breeding plumage. In the typical subspecies, "Q. quelea quelea", breeding males have a buff crown, nape and underparts and the black mask extends high up the forehead. In " Q. quelea lathamii" the mask also extends high up the forehead, but the underparts are mainly white. In "Q. quelea aethiopica" the mask does not extend