Quelea bird outbreak

MARANYANE NGWANAAMOTHO
Staff Writer | Thursday January 31, 2013 00:00

Speaking to Mmegi yesterday, communication officer at the ministry, Geoffrey Pheko said that the cynothos chemical sprayed on birds together with explosives used have been tested and do not in any way harm the environment or humans.

However, just as a precautionary measure, it would be wiser for people not to eat them, he says. The birds themselves are safe to eat and are eaten in other countries. The ministry recently warned that there has been an outbreak of the bird in some parts of Central, Kweneng, North East and Kgatleng districts.

The ministry has already started to control the bird in these areas, and encourages the public to report any suspicious cases of the bird to the nearest extension officers or village leadership. The bird which moves in flocks has the potential to cause serious damage to crops mostly sorghum and millet.

Research indicates that an average Quela bird eats around 10 grams of grain per day - roughly half its body weight - so a flock of two million can devour as much as 20 tons of grain in a single day. They breed three times per year, with an average of three eggs per clutch. One pair of Quelea birds can produce up to nine offspring annually.

The ministry has indicated that birds are at different stages of growth; some at brooding, hatching, nestling and juvenile stages.  Control operations are carried out to protect crops, which are also at different stages of development.

Pheko said that in areas like Molapo ploughing in Chobe plants are already at the milking stage, and birds like crops most at this stage as they are still tender to eat. In another development, farmers and members of the public have been urged to be vigilant as there is a possibility of a secondary infestation of the African Army worm. 

Though the invasion of the worm has been controlled in most of parts of the country, its moths have been captured in Pandamatenga, Parakarungu, Mookane, Mmathethe, Goodhope and Moshupa.  The ministry, however, continues surveillance of the worm.