Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Purple-bearded Bee-eater
Meropogon forsteni
Purple-bearded Bee-eater (Meropogon forsteni) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Australia & Oceania.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Purple-bearded Bee-eater (Meropogon forsteni) is a member of the Meropidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 55 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Coraciiformes
- Family Meropidae Bee-eaters
- Genus Meropogon
- Species forsteni
Quick facts
- Weight
- 55 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Meropidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Purple-bearded Bee-eater is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Purple-bearded Bee-eater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Purple-bearded Bee-eater (Meropogon forsteni) is a species of bird in the Meropidae family, part of the order Coraciiformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU montane n, c, se Sulawesi.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 55 g, with a wing length of about 11.3 cm and a tail of around 16.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 136,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Purple-bearded Bee-eater?
The Purple-bearded Bee-eater is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 55 g.
Where does the Purple-bearded Bee-eater live?
The Purple-bearded Bee-eater is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU montane n, c, se Sulawesi, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Purple-bearded Bee-eater belong to?
The Purple-bearded Bee-eater (Meropogon forsteni) belongs to the Meropidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Purple-bearded Bee-eater eat?
The Purple-bearded Bee-eater is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Purple-bearded Bee-eater migrate?
The Purple-bearded Bee-eater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Purple-bearded Bee-eater endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Purple-bearded Bee-eater make?
1 real field recording of the Purple-bearded Bee-eater — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Purple-bearded Bee-eater's range?
The Purple-bearded Bee-eater has a mapped global range of about 136,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Meropidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Kingfishers & Rollers
Near Threatened
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern