Photo: Alextelford at English Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Olive Bee-eater
Merops superciliosus
Olive Bee-eater (Merops superciliosus) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Africa.
Found across 5 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Olive Bee-eater (Merops superciliosus) is a member of the Meropidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 38.5 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 superciliosus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 38.5 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 Olive Bee-eater is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Olive Bee-eater is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Olive Bee-eater (Merops superciliosus) belongs to the Meropidae family of the order Coraciiformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Ethiopia to Namibia and Madagascar.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 38.5 g, with a wing length of about 13.7 cm and a tail of around 8.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 4.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Olive Bee-eater?
The Olive Bee-eater is a small bird that weighs around 38.5 g.
Where does the Olive Bee-eater live?
The Olive Bee-eater is found across Africa with a range covering AF Ethiopia to Namibia and Madagascar, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Olive Bee-eater belong to?
The Olive Bee-eater (Merops superciliosus) belongs to the Meropidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Olive Bee-eater eat?
The Olive Bee-eater is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Olive Bee-eater migrate?
The Olive Bee-eater is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Olive 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 Olive Bee-eater make?
1 real field recording of the Olive 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 Olive Bee-eater's range?
The Olive Bee-eater has a mapped global range of about 4.3 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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