Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Blue-breasted Bee-eater
Merops variegatus
Blue-breasted Bee-eater (Merops variegatus) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Africa.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Blue-breasted Bee-eater (Merops variegatus) is a member of the Meropidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 22.5 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 variegatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 22.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Meropidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Blue-breasted Bee-eater is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Blue-breasted Bee-eater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Blue-breasted Bee-eater (Merops variegatus) is a member of the Meropidae family, within the order Coraciiformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF se Nigeria to Angola and e Africa.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 22.5 g, with a wing length of about 9.1 cm and a tail of around 7.6 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 3.5 million km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Blue-breasted Bee-eater?
The Blue-breasted Bee-eater is a small bird that weighs around 22.5 g.
Where does the Blue-breasted Bee-eater live?
The Blue-breasted Bee-eater is found across Africa with a range covering AF se Nigeria to Angola and e Africa, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Blue-breasted Bee-eater belong to?
The Blue-breasted Bee-eater (Merops variegatus) belongs to the Meropidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Blue-breasted Bee-eater eat?
The Blue-breasted Bee-eater is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Blue-breasted Bee-eater migrate?
The Blue-breasted Bee-eater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Blue-breasted 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.
How large is the Blue-breasted Bee-eater's range?
The Blue-breasted Bee-eater has a mapped global range of about 3.5 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
Data Deficient
Critically Endangered