Red-bearded Bee-eater
Nyctyornis amictus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCoraciiformes (Rollers, Kingfishers, and Allies)
- FamilyMeropidae (Bee-eaters)
- GenusNyctyornis (Bearded Bee-eaters)
- SpeciesNyctyornis amictus (Red-bearded Bee-eater)
About the Red-bearded Bee-eater
The red-bearded bee-eater (Nyctyornis amictus) is a large species of bee-eater found in southern Myanmar, the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sumatra and nearby smaller islands. This species is found in openings in patches of dense forest.
Like other bee-eaters, they are colourful birds with long tails, long decurved beaks and pointed wings. They are large bee-eaters, predominantly green, with a red colouration to face that extends on to the slightly hanging throat feathers to form the "beard". Their eyes are orange.
Like other bee-eaters, they predominantly eat insects, especially bees, wasps and hornets, which are caught in flight from perches concealed in foliage. They hunt alone or in pairs, rather than in flocks, and sit motionless for long periods before pursuing their prey.
Like other bee-eaters, they nest in burrows tunnelled into the side of sandy banks, but do not form colonies. The Hamlyn photographic guide to birds of the world, foreword by Christopher Perrins; general editor: Andrew Gosler, London : Hamlyn, 1991, ISBN 0-600-57239-0 Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Sepilok
Blue-throated Bee-eater
Merops viridis
Black-backed Dwarf-Kingfisher
Ceyx erithaca
Blue-eared Kingfisher
Alcedo meninting
Stork-billed Kingfisher
Pelargopsis capensis
Dollarbird
Eurystomus orientalis
Collared Kingfisher
Todiramphus chloris
Rufous-collared Kingfisher
Actenoides concretus
Banded Kingfisher
Lacedo pulchella
Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthis
Ruddy Kingfisher
Halcyon coromanda
Blue-banded Kingfisher
Alcedo euryzona
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Khao Luang National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 2 | Danum Valley Conservation Area | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 3 | Way Kambas National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 4 | Khao Sok National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 5 | Kaeng Krachan National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 6 | Gunung Leuser National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 7 | Sepilok | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 8 | Taman Negara National Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 9 | Kerinci Seblat National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 10 | Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 11 | Kinabalu Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Red-bearded Bee-eater in Sepilok?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Red-bearded Bee-eater sighting in Sepilok, based on 234 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Red-bearded Bee-eater in Sepilok?
February has the highest sighting rate for Red-bearded Bee-eater in Sepilok in our monthly data.