Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black Bee-eater
Merops gularis
Black Bee-eater (Merops gularis) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Africa.
The Black Bee-eater (Merops gularis) is a member of the Meropidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 27.3 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 Merops
- Species gularis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 27.3 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 Black 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 Black Bee-eater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black Bee-eater (Merops gularis) is a species of bird in the Meropidae family, part of the order Coraciiformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF c, w.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 27.3 g, with a wing length of about 8.7 cm and a tail of around 7.2 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 3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black Bee-eater?
The Black Bee-eater is a small bird that weighs around 27.3 g.
Where does the Black Bee-eater live?
The Black Bee-eater is found across Africa with a range covering AF c, w, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Black Bee-eater belong to?
The Black Bee-eater (Merops gularis) belongs to the Meropidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Black Bee-eater eat?
The Black Bee-eater is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black Bee-eater migrate?
The Black Bee-eater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black 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 Black Bee-eater make?
1 real field recording of the Black 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 Black Bee-eater's range?
The Black Bee-eater has a mapped global range of about 3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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