Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

Merops persicus

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderCoraciiformes (Rollers, Kingfishers, and Allies)
FamilyMeropidae (Bee-eaters)
GenusMerops (Typical Bee-eaters)
SpeciesMerops persicus (Blue-cheeked Bee-eater)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Etosha National Park

1 Verified sightings at Etosha National Park From 2019 to 2026

2,926 Verified sightings across all 48 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ 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 Etosha National Park

Merops hirundineus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Merops apiaster

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Merops superciliosus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Merops pusillus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Coracias caudatus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Coracias naevius

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Coracias garrulus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Halcyon chelicuti

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Halcyon leucocephala

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Corythornis cristatus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

See all 10 relatives Show fewer

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

← Back to Etosha National Park

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

About the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

Recent sightings of Blue-cheeked Bee-eater in Etosha National Park

Closest Relatives at Etosha National Park

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater

European Bee-eater

Madagascar Bee-eater

Little Bee-eater

Lilac-breasted Roller

Rufous-crowned Roller

European Roller

Striped Kingfisher

Gray-headed Kingfisher

Malachite Kingfisher

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found