Photo: muir / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-headed Bee-eater
Merops breweri
Black-headed Bee-eater (Merops breweri) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Africa.
The Black-headed Bee-eater (Merops breweri) is a member of the Meropidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 49.7 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 breweri
Where it lives
Ivory Coast, Ghana, southern Nigeria and northern Central African Republic, Gabon to western South Sudan, central DR Congo and northwestern Angola
Quick facts
- Weight
- 49.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Meropidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-headed 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-headed Bee-eater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-headed Bee-eater (Merops breweri) is a member of the Meropidae family, within the order Coraciiformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF Ivory Coast, Ghana, s Nigeria and n Central African Republic, Gabon to w South Sudan, c DR Congo and nw Angola.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 49.7 g, with a wing length of about 12.2 cm and a tail of around 14.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-headed Bee-eater?
The Black-headed Bee-eater is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 49.7 g.
Where does the Black-headed Bee-eater live?
The Black-headed Bee-eater is found across Africa with a range covering AF Ivory Coast, Ghana, s Nigeria and n Central African Republic, Gabon to w South Sudan, c DR Congo and nw Angola, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Black-headed Bee-eater belong to?
The Black-headed Bee-eater (Merops breweri) belongs to the Meropidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Black-headed Bee-eater eat?
The Black-headed Bee-eater is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black-headed Bee-eater migrate?
The Black-headed Bee-eater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-headed 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-headed Bee-eater make?
1 real field recording of the Black-headed 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-headed Bee-eater's range?
The Black-headed Bee-eater has a mapped global range of about 1.6 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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