Fidelity to non-breeding grounds by migrant Red-billed Quelea quelea lathami in Botswana

Breeding site fidelity is well known amongst populations of the Red-billed Quelea Quelea quelea, both within-seasons (Jaeger et al., 1989) and between seasons. Examples of the latter in Botswana include Gobojango at 21°52'S 28°46'E near Bobonong where there was a breeding colony in February 2008 and February 2009 and many similar examples are known from the Francistown and Maun areas and elsewhere. However, confirmation that the birds return to particular sites where they do not breed, during times of year when they could breed and also during their "off-season", in Botswana is lacking. Here we show from re-sightings of marked birds that birds do sometimes return to the same place in subsequent years to a site where and when they do not breed.