Photo: christoph_moning / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-throated Bee-eater
Merops bulocki
Red-throated Bee-eater (Merops bulocki) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Africa.
The Red-throated Bee-eater (Merops bulocki) is a member of the Meropidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 23.1 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 bulocki
Quick facts
- Weight
- 23.1 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 Red-throated Bee-eater is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Red-throated Bee-eater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-throated Bee-eater (Merops bulocki) is a member of the Meropidae family, within the order Coraciiformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF ec, c, w.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 23.1 g, with a wing length of about 10.1 cm and a tail of around 9.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-throated Bee-eater?
The Red-throated Bee-eater is a small bird that weighs around 23.1 g.
Where does the Red-throated Bee-eater live?
The Red-throated Bee-eater is found across Africa with a range covering AF ec, c, w, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Red-throated Bee-eater belong to?
The Red-throated Bee-eater (Merops bulocki) belongs to the Meropidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Red-throated Bee-eater eat?
The Red-throated Bee-eater is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Red-throated Bee-eater migrate?
The Red-throated Bee-eater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-throated 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 Red-throated Bee-eater make?
1 real field recording of the Red-throated 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 Red-throated Bee-eater's range?
The Red-throated Bee-eater has a mapped global range of about 2.9 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.
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
Least Concern