Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Blue-cheeked Bee-eaterBlue-cheeked Bee-eaterBlue-cheeked Bee-eaterBlue-cheeked Bee-eater

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

Merops persicus

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Akagera National Park
83 Verified sightings at Akagera National Park From 2019 to 2026
2,926 Verified sightings across all 48 parks From 2019 to 2026
December Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

The blue-cheeked bee-eater (Merops persicus) is a species of bee-eater that breeds in Northern Africa and the Middle East from eastern Turkey to Kazakhstan and India. It is generally strongly migratory, wintering in tropical Africa, although some populations are resident year-round in the Sahel. This species occurs as a rare vagrant north of its breeding range, with most vagrants occurring in Italy and Greece.

The genus name Merops is Ancient Greek for "bee-eater", and persicus is Latin for "Persian". Two subspecies of blue-cheeked bee-eater are accepted: Merops persicus persicus - Breeds in Asia, winters in East and Southern Africa.

Merops persicus chrysocercus - Breeds in North Africa, winters in West Africa. This species is closely related to the blue-tailed bee-eater, M. philippinus of East Asia, and the olive bee-eater of Africa, and has been treated as being the same species (conspecific).

This species, like other bee-eaters, is a richly coloured, slender bird. It is predominantly green; its face has blue sides with a black eye stripe, and a yellow and brown throat; the beak is black. It can reach a length of 31 cm (12 in), with... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Akagera National Park

Little Bee-eater
LC

Little Bee-eater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Merops pusillus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
European Bee-eater
LC

European Bee-eater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Merops apiaster

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater
LC

Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Merops oreobates

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Southern Carmine Bee-eater
LC

Southern Carmine Bee-eater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Merops nubicoides

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Blue-breasted Bee-eater
LC

Blue-breasted Bee-eater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Merops variegatus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Whitethroated Bee-eater
LC

Whitethroated Bee-eater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Merops albicollis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Lilac-breasted Roller
LC

Lilac-breasted Roller

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Coracias caudatus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Pied Kingfisher
LC

Pied Kingfisher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ceryle rudis

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Woodland Kingfisher
LC

Woodland Kingfisher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Halcyon senegalensis

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Malachite Kingfisher
LC

Malachite Kingfisher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corythornis cristatus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Striped Kingfisher
LC

Striped Kingfisher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Halcyon chelicuti

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Broad-billed Roller
LC

Broad-billed Roller

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Eurystomus glaucurus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~30%
2 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
3 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
~20%
4 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~10%
5 Selous Game Reserve 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
6 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
7 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
~10%
8 Semuliki National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
9 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
10 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
11 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
12 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
13 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
14 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
15 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
16 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
<5%
17 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
18 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
19 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
20 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
21 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
22 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
23 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
24 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
25 Keoladeo National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
26 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
27 Ranthambore National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
28 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
29 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
30 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
31 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
32 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
33 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Insufficient data
34 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
35 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
36 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
37 Niokolo-Koba National Park 🇸🇳 Senegal
Insufficient data
38 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
39 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
40 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
41 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
42 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
43 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
44 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
Insufficient data
45 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data
46 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
47 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
48 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater in Akagera National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater sighting in Akagera National Park, based on 83 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Blue-cheeked Bee-eater in Akagera National Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for Blue-cheeked Bee-eater in Akagera National Park in our monthly data.

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