Photo: Петро Катеринич / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
European Bee-eater
Merops apiaster
European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) is a member of the Meropidae family found in Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 56.6 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 apiaster
Where it lives
Northwestern Africa, southwestern Europe to central Asia; South Africa
Quick facts
- Weight
- 56.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Meropidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The European Bee-eater is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The European Bee-eater is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) is a member of the Meropidae family, within the order Coraciiformes. It is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF nw Africa, sw Europe to c Asia; South Africa.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 56.6 g, with a wing length of about 14.4 cm and a tail of around 10.2 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 11 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the European Bee-eater?
The European Bee-eater is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 56.6 g.
Where does the European Bee-eater live?
The European Bee-eater is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL, AF nw Africa, sw Europe to c Asia; South Africa, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the European Bee-eater belong to?
The European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) belongs to the Meropidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the European Bee-eater eat?
The European Bee-eater is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the European Bee-eater migrate?
The European Bee-eater is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the European 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 European Bee-eater make?
1 real field recording of the European Bee-eater — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the European Bee-eater's range?
The European Bee-eater has a mapped global range of about 11 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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