European Bee-eater
Merops apiaster
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCoraciiformes (Rollers, Kingfishers, and Allies)
- FamilyMeropidae (Bee-eaters)
- GenusMerops (Typical Bee-eaters)
- SpeciesMerops apiaster (European Bee-eater)
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 →
Recent sightings of European Bee-eater in Mkomazi National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Mkomazi National Park
Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater
Merops oreobates
Little Bee-eater
Merops pusillus
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Merops persicus
Northern Carmine Bee-eater
Merops nubicus
Madagascar Bee-eater
Merops superciliosus
Whitethroated Bee-eater
Merops albicollis
Lilac-breasted Roller
Coracias caudatus
Gray-headed Kingfisher
Halcyon leucocephala
European Roller
Coracias garrulus
Rufous-crowned Roller
Coracias naevius
Striped Kingfisher
Halcyon chelicuti
Brown-hooded Kingfisher
Halcyon albiventris
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a European Bee-eater in Mkomazi National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a European Bee-eater sighting in Mkomazi National Park, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see European Bee-eater in Mkomazi National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for European Bee-eater in Mkomazi National Park in our monthly data.