European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

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 apiaster (European Bee-eater)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

2 Verified sightings at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park From 2019 to 2026

14,183 Verified sightings across all 73 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ 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 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Merops hirundineus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Merops nubicoides

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Merops bullockoides

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Coracias caudatus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Halcyon chelicuti

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Corythornis cristatus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Coracias naevius

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Coracias garrulus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Ceryle rudis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Megaceryle maxima

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	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

← Back to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

European Bee-eater

About the European Bee-eater

Recent sightings of European Bee-eater in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Closest Relatives at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater

Southern Carmine Bee-eater

White-fronted Bee-eater

Lilac-breasted Roller

Striped Kingfisher

Malachite Kingfisher

Rufous-crowned Roller

European Roller

Pied Kingfisher

Giant Kingfisher

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found