NESTING SUCCESS OF Quelea quelea WITH ONE PARENT REMOVED AND OBSERVATIONS ON ROOSTING BEHAVIOR, WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR CONTROL

Avicidal sprays are like ly to continue to be a major tool in controlling Quelea quelea nesting colonies when they are found in cereal producing areas. New observations on nesting behavior indicate that a single parent cannot successfully care for the nest if the other parent is destroyed before the eggs have hatched. During the incubation period, Quelea return earlier in the evening and males are more concentrated in night roosting areas than after the eggs have hatched. These factors indicate that for the most efficient control, the best time to spray nesting colonies is before hatching begins.