Monitoring and Habitat Location of the Weaver bird (Quelea quelea aethiopica) Using Remote Sensing And Geographic Information System (GIS) By Amel Abdelraheem Abdelwahid B.Sc. (Agric.) Honours University of Khartoum 2001 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of The requirements for the degree of Master Of Science in Crop Protection Supervisor Dr. Hamadttu Abdelfarag Elshafie Department of Crop Protection Faculty of Agriculture University of Khartoum September, 2008 DEDICATION TO THOSE WHO MADE ME WHO I AM, AND HAVE BEEN PATIENT DURING MY STUDY, MY DEAR MOTHER. MY GREAT FATHER ﻩ ACKNOWLEDGMENS I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Hamudttu AbdelFarag Elshafie. Iam really proud that my work has been under his constructive criticism, guidance and valuable discussion. I am very grateful to Dr. Ammna Ahmed Hammed the general manager of Remote Sensing Authority along with Mr. Hassan Mahmood and Mr. Hattim Elapid for their support, and kind helpful. I am very grateful to the collaboration and support of plant protection department (H.Q) particularly Mr. Mohamed Ahmed Abdelmoti, Mr. Bashir Mustafa and Mr. Ahmed Hamza for their continuous support and help. My special words of thanks and respect go to Central Institution for Locust Research/PPD my deep appreciations go to Mr. Kamal Suliman who supported me honestly along with Mr. Hussien Osman and Mr. Ibrahim Magzoub who collaborated friendly. I would like to appreciate the efforts by the plant protection department- White Nile Stats/Kusti for providing the available facilities and resources required to conduct this work in the field particularly by Mr. Abdelfattah Abdelkarim, Mr. Munir Ibrahim, Mr. Awad.Abdelgader and Miss. Selma Mustafa due to her kind hosting and Mr. Hassan Ahmed. Also my genuine thanks are due to Ahmed's family for their kind hospitality. Thanks are also due to all the staff of vertebrate section /PPD (H.Q). I am very grateful for the efforts done by my colleague Adam Smaeil & Mohamed Osman. Finally the best words of thanks to my best friends. ﻩ List of Contents Dedication i Acknowledgements ii List of contents iii List of figures v Abstract vi Arabic Abstract vii 1. Introduction 1 2. Review of Literature 4 2.1. Classification of quelea bird 4 2.2. Identification 5 2.3. Distribution 5 2.4. Economic importance of quelea 6 2.5. Biology and bionomics 6 2.5.1. Annual cycle 9 2.5.2. Roosting 10 2.5.3. Food habits 11 2.5.4. Migration 12 2.6. Control methods 13 2.6.1. Non lethal control 14 2.6.1.1. Cages 14 2.6.1.2. Nets and fibres 15 2.6.1.3. Bird scarers 15 2.6.1.4. Repellents 16 2.6.1.5. Sound making devices 17 2.6.1.6. Chemical repellents 17 ﻩ 2.6.1.7. Modification of cropping practices 18 2.6.2. Lethal control 19 2.6.2.1. Chemical poisoning 19 2.6.2.2. Trapping 19 2.6.2.3. Aerial spraying 20 2.6.2.4. The application technique 21 2.6.2.5. Control operation 22 2.7. Monitoring of crop pests using remote sensin g d a t a a n d f i e l d investigation. 24 2.7.1. Desert locust 24 2.7.2. East Asian migratory locust 26 2.7.3. Field insect pest 28 2.7.4. Quelea bird 31 3. Materials and Methods 34 3.1. The study area 34 3.2. Data collection and analysis tool 34 3.3. The methods 35 4. Results 37 5. Discussion 51 References 56 Appendix 64 ﻩ List of Figures Figure 1. Satellite Raster Image (Area1) in False Color Sep.2002. 38 Figure 2. Satellite Raster Image (Area2) in False Color Sep.2002. 39 Figure 3. Satellite Raster Image (Area1) in True Color Sep.2002. 40 Figure 4. Satellite Raster Image (Area2) in True Color Sep.2002. 41 Figure 5. GPS Data Obtaining from PPD Office Sep.2007shows 42 Quelea Distribution in forests in ''Kusti' F i g u r e 6 . D i s t r i b u t i o n o f q u e l e a c o l o n i e s i n s e a s o n s (Sep-Oct-Nov-2002-2007). 43 Figure7. General distribution of Quelea forests (2002-2007). 44 Figure 8. Quelea colonies distribution in some forests of the 45 study area ''Kusti'' (2002-2004). Figure 9. Quelea locations in ''Kusti'' around the study area (2005-2007). 46 Figure10. The main infested areas in ''Kusti'' in years 47 Figure11a. Raster images Study area in large scale 49 Figure 11b. Vector images study area in large scale 49 ''Alrawate'' Sep.2007. Figure 12. Distribution of colonies in the period from 2002-2007. 50 Figure 13. Percentages of quelea infested area under study. 50 ﻩ Abstract: This study aims to evaluate current methodologies of survey and control operations to minimize the cost of quelea control by determining the exact locations of quelea species and production of maps showing the spatial distribution of quelea habitats. The formation of geodata base of the pests distribution assists in maps reconstruction for field visits when required, and improvements which increase the efficiency of survey and control operations. The trials of this research were conducted by using the technology of Remote Sensing (RS)/Global Position System (GPS)/Geographical Information System (GIS), software, computer system to locate quelea habitats. Office records and interviews with the farmers, previous studies and relevant literature were usd in data collection and analysis to produce the final results. The field visit was conducted in the White Nile areas Alrawat southern Kusti. The results indicated that all data which were acquired and presented in maps showed the main sites of colonies and potential breeding habitats for quelea bird in the specific study area. These findings could improve the performance of quelea survey operations which are needed to increase the capacity of the currently used strategy for the control of the red- billed quelea bird. ﻩ اﻟﻤﻠﺨﺺ: ﺗﻌﺘﺒﺮ اﻟﻜﻮﻳﻠﻴﺎ ﻣﻦ أهﻢ اﻵﻓﺎت اﻟﺰراﻋﻴﺔ ﻟﻤﺤﺎﺻﻴﻞ اﻟﻐﻼل ﺣﻴﺚ ﺗﺴﺒﺐ ﺿﺮراً اﻗﺘﺼﺎدﻳﺎً ﻋ ﺎ ﻟ ﻴ ﺎً ﺑﺴﺒﺐ ﺷﺪة ﺣﺮآﺘﻬﺎ وﺳﻠﻮآﻬﺎ أﺛﻨﺎء ﻏﺬاﺋﻬﺎ وﺷﺮﺑﻬﺎ واﻟﺘﻜﻠﻔﺔ اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻴﺔ ﻟﻤﻜﺎﻓﺤﺘﻬﺎ . اﻟﻄﺮق اﻟﺘﻘﻠﻴﺪﻳﺔ اﻟﻤﺘﺒﻌﺔ ﺣﺎﻟﻴﺎ ﺗﺆدى إﻟﻰ ﺑﻌﺾ اﻟﻤﺸﻜﻼت اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﻮاﺟﻪ اﻟﻔﺮﻳﻖ اﻟﻌﺎﻣﻞ أﺛﻨ ﺎء اﻟﻤﺴﺢ واﻟﻤﻜﺎﻓﺤﺔ آﺎﻟﺤﺮآﺔ أﺛﻨﺎء ﻓﺼﻞ اﻟﺨﺮﻳﻒ داﺧﻞ اﻟﻐﺎﺑﺎت ﻧﺴﺒﺔ ﻟﻄﺒﻴﻌﻴﺔ اﻟﻤﻨﻄﻘﺔ اﻟﻄﻴﻨﻴﺔ واﻟﻤﺴﺎﺣﺎت اﻟﻮاﺳﻌﺔ اﻟﺘﻲ ﻳﺠﺐ أن ﺗﻐﻄﻰ ﻣﻤﺎ ﻳﺆدى إﻟﻰ إهﺪار اﻟﺰﻣﻦ واﻟﺠﻬﺪ وﺗﺄﺧﻴﺮ زﻣﻦ اﻟﻤﻜﺎﻓﺤﺔ. ﺗﻬﺪف هﺬﻩ اﻟﺪراﺳﺔ إﻟﻰ ﺗﻘﻮﻳﻢ اﻟﻄﺮق اﻟﺤﺎﻟﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻋﻤﻠﻴﺎت اﻟﻤﺴﺢ اﻻرﺿﻰ وﺗﺤﺎول ﺗﻘﺪﻳﻢ اﻟﺒﺪاﺋﻞ اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﺰﻳﺪ ﻣﻦ آﻔﺎءة ﻋﻤﻠﻴﺘﻲ اﻟﻤﺴﺢ واﻟﻤﻜﺎﻓﺤﺔ . إن اﻷهﺪاف اﻟﻌﺎﻣﻪ ﻟﻠﺪراﺳﺔ هﻲ ﺗﻘﻠﻴﻞ ﺗﻜﻠﻔﺔ اﻟﻤﻜﺎﻓﺤﺔ وذﻟﻚ ﺑﺘﺤﺪﻳﺪ اﻟﻤﻨﺎﻃﻖ اﻟﻤﻮﺟﻮدة ﻟﺘﻮاﻟﺪ اﻟﻜﻮﻳﻠﻴﺎ وإﻧﺘﺎج اﻟﺨﺮاﺋﻂ اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﻌﺮض ﻣﻨﺎﻃﻖ اﻧﺘﺸﺎر ﺑﻴﺌﺘﻬﺎ اﻟﻔﻌﻠﻴﺔ وﺗﺨﻠﻖ ﻗﺎﻋـﺪة ﺑﻴﺎﻧﺎت ﻣﻦ اﻟﻤﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎت اﻟﺠﻐﺮاﻓﻴﺔ ﻻﻧﺘﺸﺎرأﻵﻓﻪ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﻨﻄﻘﺔ ﺗﺤﺖ اﻟﺪراﺳﺔ ﺑﺎﻻﺿﺎﻓﻪ إﻟﻰ اﻟﺰﻳﺎرة اﻟﺤﻘﻠﻴﺔ واﻟﺘﺪﻋﻴﻢ ﺑﺎﻟﺨﺮاﺋﻂ . اﺳﺘﺨﺪم ﻓﻲ هﺬﻩ اﻟﺪراﺳﺔ ﻧﻈﻢ اﻟﻤﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎت اﻟﺠﻐﺮاﻓﻴﺔ واﻻﺳﺘﺸﻌﺎر ﻋﻦ ﺑﻌﺪ وﺟﻬﺎز اﺧ ﺬ اﻟﻨﻘﺎط اﻟﺠﻐﺮاﻓﻴﺔ اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻤﻲ GPS وﺑﺮﻧﺎﻣﺞ اﻟﺤﺎﺳﻮب ﻟﺘﺤﺴﻴﻦ وإﺧﺮاج اﻟﺸﻜﻞ اﻟﻨﻬﺎﺋﻲ ﻟﻠﺨﺮاﺋﻂ واﻟﻤﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎت اﻟﻤﺴﺠﻠﺔ ﻋﻦ ﻣﻮا ﻗﻊ ﺗﻮاﻟﺪ اﻟﻜﻮﻳﻠﻴﺎ ﻣﻦ ﻣﻜﺘﺐ وﻗﺎﻳﺔ اﻟﻨﺒﺎﺗﺎت ﻗﺴﻢ اﻟﻔﻘﺎرﻳﺎت وﺑﻌﺾ اﻟﻤﻘﺎﺑﻼت ﻟﻠﻤﺰارﻋﻴﻦ واﻻﺗﻴﺎم اﻟﺘﻲ ﻋﻤﻠﺖ ﺑﺎﻟﻤﺴﺢ اﻷرﺿﻲ. ﺟﻤﻊ اﻟﻤﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎت وﺗﺤﻠﻴﻠﻬﺎ ودﻋﻤﻬﺎ أدى إﻟﻰ اﻟﻨﺘﺎﺋﺞ اﻟﻨﻬﺎﺋﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﺪراﺳﺔ . وﻗﺪ أﺷﺎرت اﻟﻨﺘﺎﺋﺞ إﻟﻰ إن آﻞ اﻟﻤﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎت اﻟﺠﻐﺮاﻓﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺨﺮﻳﻄﺔ أﻇﻬـﺮت ﻣﺴ ﺘﻌﻤﺮات اﻟﻜﻮﻳﻠﻴﺎ اﻷﺳﺎﺳﻴﺔ واﻟﻤﻨﺎﻃﻖ اﻟﻤﺼﺎﺑﺔ اﻟﻔﻌﻠﻴﺔ ﻟﺘﻮاﻟﺪ وﺗﻮاﺟﺪ اﻟﻜﻮﻳﻠﻴﺎ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﻨﻄﻘﺔ اﻟﻤﻌﻨﻴﺔ . آﺬﻟﻚ وﺟﺪ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻀﺮوري ﻋﺪم اﻻﻋﺘﻤﺎد ﻋﻠﻰ ﺗﻘﺪﻳﺮات اﻟﻤﺴﺢ اﻷرﺿﻲ ﻓ ﻲ ﺗﻘﺪﻳﺮ اﻟﻤﺴﺎﺣﺎت اﻟﻤﻤﺴﻮﺣﺔ أو اﻟﻤﺼﺎﺑﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﻜﻮﻳﻠﻴﺎ، ﺣﻴﺚ ﻳﺠﺐ اﻻﺳﺘﻌﺎﻧﺔ ﺑﺘﻘﻨﻴﺔ اﻻﺳﺘﺸﻌﺎر ﻋﻦ ﺑﻌﺪ وﻧﻈﻢ اﻟﻤﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎت اﻟﺠﻐﺮاﻓﻴﺔ وﺑﺮاﻣﺞ اﻟﺤﺎﺳﻮب ﻓﻲ ﺗﺤﺪﻳﺪ ﺗﻠﻚ اﻟﻤﺴﺎﺣﺎت ﺑﺪﻗﺔ. هﺬﻩ اﻟﻨﺘﺎﺋﺞ ﺗﺴﺎﻋﺪ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺗﻄﻮﻳﺮ آﻔﺎءة ﻋﻤﻠﻴﺎت اﻟﻤﺴﺢ وﺑﺎﻟﺘﺎﻟﻰ زﻳﺎدة ﻗﺪرة إﺳﺘﺮاﺗﻴﺠﻴﺔ اﻟﻤﻜﺎﻓﺤﺔ اﻟﻤﺘﺒﻌﻪ ﺣﺎﻟﻴﺎ ﺿﺪ ﻃﻴﻮر اﻟﻜﻮﻳﻠﻴﺎ. ﻩ 1. INTRODUCTION There are about 40 species of birds in North, East and Central Africa, which are considered as agricultural pests (Schmutterer, 1969). Relatively a few number of all these species do appreciable damage to cultivated crops. Some bird species are extremely destructive, particularly to small grains as in the case of quelea and Bishops. Ducks and Waders may cause damage in flooded rice by dabbling about in the mud, feeding on insects. Some of the birds feed exclusively on riped fruits. The Red-billed quelea is a small African weaver finch, it is the most numerous and destructive bird pest of cereal crops in more than 25 African countries. Quelea frequently forms large breeding colonies or roosting sites with populations ranging from a few thousands to many millions. They inflict serious damage to small grain crops such as sorghum, wheat, millet, rice, barley and oats. Quelea is capable of causing serious damage to cultivated crops both during the early stages of sowing, germination and sprouting. The serious bird's damage occurs at all the stages of grain formation from the milk stage through the dough stages to the ripening- off stage. An individual quelea bird can eat about 3-5g of grain per day and waste a lot more on the ground by its feeding activity. As a result, the total damage by individual bird can reach 7-10g of grain in a day. Thus, one million birds in a single roost can destroy up to 7-10t of grain per day (Anon. 1993). The quelea problem has increased and damage to crops has become more serious, due to the high mobility and migratory behavior of the pest. Quelea often appears in huge numbers and large flocks. Thus, the search for quelea should take into consideration the time of ﻩ day, the daily activity patterns of feeding and drinking, and the distribution of the species and the season of the year. In roosting site, when quelea activity extends up to 30 km, surveying for it is conducted by ground.