Blue-breasted Bee-eater
Merops variegatus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCoraciiformes (Rollers, Kingfishers, and Allies)
- FamilyMeropidae (Bee-eaters)
- GenusMerops (Typical Bee-eaters)
- SpeciesMerops variegatus (Blue-breasted Bee-eater)
About the Blue-breasted Bee-eater
The blue-breasted bee-eater (Merops variegatus) is a central African species of bird. It is a member of the family Meropidae. Meropids are all visually similar and have a diet specialized in Hymenopterans. The blue-breasted bee-eater, Merops variegatus, exhibits several physically defining characteristics of the Meropidae. It has a relatively large head, short neck, bright plumage, long curved slim sharp beak and a broad black eyestripe. M. variegatus weights between 20 and 26 g and measures between 18 and 21 cm in length. It is primarily a green bird, with a green crown, green upper parts and light greenish-yellow underparts.
Primary wings are washed with rufous and secondaries are green with black tips. Overall the wings are rounded at the tip compared to the pointed tips of the migratory species in Meropidae. The tail has twelve rectrices, the outer rectrices are washed with rufous and the center feathers are green. The tail has a subterminal black bar and is tipped with white. Furthermore, the tail has a shallow v -shape and is lacking tail-streamers present in other members of the family.
The head of the blue-breasted bee-eater can be distinguished from other... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Blue-breasted Bee-eater in Kafue National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Kafue National Park
White-fronted Bee-eater
Merops bullockoides
Little Bee-eater
Merops pusillus
Boehm's Bee-eater
Merops boehmi
European Bee-eater
Merops apiaster
Swallow-tailed Bee-eater
Merops hirundineus
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Merops persicus
Southern Carmine Bee-eater
Merops nubicoides
Pied Kingfisher
Ceryle rudis
Brown-hooded Kingfisher
Halcyon albiventris
Giant Kingfisher
Megaceryle maxima
Lilac-breasted Roller
Coracias caudatus
Broad-billed Roller
Eurystomus glaucurus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Murchison Falls National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 2 | Lake Mburo National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 3 | Queen Elizabeth National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 4 | Kafue National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 5 | Virunga National Park | 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| 6 | Akagera National Park | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | |
| 7 | Kibale National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 8 | Bwindi Impenetrable National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 9 | Nyungwe National Park | 🇷🇼 Rwanda |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Blue-breasted Bee-eater in Kafue National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Blue-breasted Bee-eater sighting in Kafue National Park, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Blue-breasted Bee-eater in Kafue National Park?
October has the highest sighting rate for Blue-breasted Bee-eater in Kafue National Park in our monthly data.