Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/francesco_veronesi/ / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Blue-moustached Bee-eater
Merops mentalis
Blue-moustached Bee-eater (Merops mentalis) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Africa.
The Blue-moustached Bee-eater (Merops mentalis) is a member of the Meropidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 22.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Coraciiformes
- Family Meropidae Bee-eaters
- Genus Merops
- Species mentalis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 22.5 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 Blue-moustached 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 Blue-moustached Bee-eater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Blue-moustached Bee-eater (Merops mentalis) belongs to the Meropidae family of the order Coraciiformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Sierra Leone to w Cameroon and Bioko I.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 22.5 g, with a wing length of about 8.5 cm and a tail of around 8 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 323,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Blue-moustached Bee-eater?
The Blue-moustached Bee-eater is a small bird that weighs around 22.5 g.
Where does the Blue-moustached Bee-eater live?
The Blue-moustached Bee-eater is found across Africa with a range covering AF Sierra Leone to w Cameroon and Bioko I, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Blue-moustached Bee-eater belong to?
The Blue-moustached Bee-eater (Merops mentalis) belongs to the Meropidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Blue-moustached Bee-eater eat?
The Blue-moustached Bee-eater is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Blue-moustached Bee-eater migrate?
The Blue-moustached Bee-eater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Blue-moustached Bee-eater endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Blue-moustached Bee-eater make?
1 real field recording of the Blue-moustached 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 Blue-moustached Bee-eater's range?
The Blue-moustached Bee-eater has a mapped global range of about 323,000 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
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened