European Bee-eater
European Bee-eaterEuropean Bee-eaterEuropean Bee-eaterEuropean Bee-eater

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
59 Verified sightings at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park From 2019 to 2026
14,183 Verified sightings across all 73 parks From 2019 to 2026
November Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the European Bee-eater

The European bee-eater (Merops apiaster) is a bird species in the bee-eater family, Meropidae. It has the largest range of any bee-eater species. It breeds in southern and central Europe, northern and southern Africa, and western Asia. Except for the resident southern African population, the species is strongly migratory, wintering in tropical Africa. This species occurs as a spring overshoot north of its usual range, with occasional breeding in northern Europe.

The European bee-eater was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under its current binomial name Merops apiaster. The genus name Merops (μέροψ) is Ancient Greek for "bee-eater", and apiaster is Latin, also meaning "bee-eater", from apis, "bee".

This species, like other bee-eaters, is a richly coloured, slender bird. It has brown and yellow upper parts, whilst the wings are green and the beak is black. It can reach a length of 27–29 cm (10.6–11.4 in), including the two elongated central tail feathers, and weigh 44–78 g (52 g on average). Sexes are alike. Female tends to have greener rather than gold feathers... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park

Little Bee-eater
LC

Little Bee-eater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Merops pusillus

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

White-fronted Bee-eater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Merops bullockoides

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

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Merops persicus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Brown-hooded Kingfisher
LC

Brown-hooded Kingfisher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Halcyon albiventris

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Malachite Kingfisher
LC

Malachite Kingfisher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corythornis cristatus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Pied Kingfisher
LC

Pied Kingfisher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ceryle rudis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
European Roller
LC

European Roller

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Coracias garrulus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Striped Kingfisher
LC

Striped Kingfisher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Halcyon chelicuti

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Half-collared Kingfisher
LC

Half-collared Kingfisher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Alcedo semitorquata

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Giant Kingfisher
LC

Giant Kingfisher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Megaceryle maxima

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Lilac-breasted Roller
LC

Lilac-breasted Roller

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Coracias caudatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
African Pygmy-Kingfisher
LC

African Pygmy-Kingfisher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ispidina picta

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~30%
2 Monfragüe National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~30%
3 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
~30%
4 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~30%
5 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~20%
6 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~20%
7 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~20%
8 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~20%
9 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~20%
10 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~20%
11 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
12 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~20%
13 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~20%
14 Camargue 🇫🇷 France
~20%
15 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~20%
16 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
17 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~20%
18 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
19 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
20 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
21 Selous Game Reserve 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
22 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
23 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
~10%
24 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
25 Sierra Nevada National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
26 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~10%
27 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~10%
28 Sierra de Guadarrama National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
29 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
30 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
31 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
~10%
32 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
~10%
33 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
34 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
35 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
36 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
37 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
38 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~10%
39 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
40 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~10%
41 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~10%
42 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
43 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
44 Mercantour National Park 🇫🇷 France
<5%
45 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
46 Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
47 Volcanoes National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
48 Cévennes National Park 🇫🇷 France
<5%
49 Semuliki National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
50 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
51 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
52 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
53 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
<5%
54 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
55 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
56 Niokolo-Koba National Park 🇸🇳 Senegal
<5%
57 Aigüestortes National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
58 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
59 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
60 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
61 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
62 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
63 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
Insufficient data
64 Ecrins National Park 🇫🇷 France
Insufficient data
65 Hohe Tauern National Park 🇦🇹 Austria
Insufficient data
66 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
67 Plitvice Lakes National Park 🇭🇷 Croatia
Insufficient data
68 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
69 Yala National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
Insufficient data
70 Horton Plains National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
Insufficient data
71 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
72 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
73 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a European Bee-eater in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a European Bee-eater sighting in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, based on 59 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see European Bee-eater in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park?

November has the highest sighting rate for European Bee-eater in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park in our monthly data.

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