Swallow-tailed Bee-eater
Merops hirundineus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCoraciiformes (Rollers, Kingfishers, and Allies)
- FamilyMeropidae (Bee-eaters)
- GenusMerops (Typical Bee-eaters)
- SpeciesMerops hirundineus (Swallow-tailed Bee-eater)
About the Swallow-tailed Bee-eater
The swallow-tailed bee-eater (Merops hirundineus) is a species of bee-eater native to sub-Saharan Africa. It feeds predominantly on insects, especially bees and their relatives, which are caught in flight from an open perch. Its vivid colors and forked tail are distinctive.
Like other bee-eaters, this is a richly coloured, slender bird. Its colours and readily visible forked tail make it unmistakable. It is mainly green with a yellow throat, blue gorget and black eye stripe and beak. Swallow-tailed bee-eaters can reach a length of 20–22 cm, including the long forked green or blue feathers. Sexes are alike.
It breeds in savannah woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. It is partially migratory, moving in response to rainfall patterns. This is a species which prefers somewhat more wooded country than most bee-eaters. This attractive bird is readily approached. Just as the name suggests, bee-eaters predominantly eat insects, especially bees, wasps and hornets, which are caught in the air by sorties from an open perch. The swallowtail has a preference for honeybees.
These bee-eaters nest as pairs or in very small colonies in sandy... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Swallow-tailed Bee-eater in Etosha National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Etosha National Park
European Bee-eater
Merops apiaster
Madagascar Bee-eater
Merops superciliosus
Little Bee-eater
Merops pusillus
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Merops persicus
Lilac-breasted Roller
Coracias caudatus
Rufous-crowned Roller
Coracias naevius
European Roller
Coracias garrulus
Striped Kingfisher
Halcyon chelicuti
Gray-headed Kingfisher
Halcyon leucocephala
Malachite Kingfisher
Corythornis cristatus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Murchison Falls National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 3 | Waterberg Plateau Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 4 | Hwange National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 5 | Liwonde National Park | 🇲🇼 Malawi | |
| 6 | Moremi Game Reserve | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 7 | Kidepo Valley National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 8 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 9 | Kafue National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 10 | Chobe National Park | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 11 | Ruaha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 12 | Lower Zambezi National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 13 | Namib-Naukluft National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 14 | Gonarezhou National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 15 | Mana Pools National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 16 | South Luangwa National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 17 | Gorongosa National Park | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | |
| 18 | Bwindi Impenetrable National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 19 | Virunga National Park | 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| 20 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 21 | Mikumi National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 22 | Semuliki National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 23 | Lake Mburo National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 24 | Queen Elizabeth National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Swallow-tailed Bee-eater in Etosha National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Swallow-tailed Bee-eater sighting in Etosha National Park, based on 413 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Swallow-tailed Bee-eater in Etosha National Park?
April has the highest sighting rate for Swallow-tailed Bee-eater in Etosha National Park in our monthly data.