Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rainbirder / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Somali Bee-eater
Merops revoilii
Somali Bee-eater (Merops revoilii) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Somali Bee-eater (Merops revoilii) is a member of the Meropidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 12.9 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 revoilii
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Meropidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Somali 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 spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Somali Bee-eater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Somali Bee-eater (Merops revoilii) is a member of the Meropidae family, within the order Coraciiformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF e Ethiopia and Somalia to e Kenya.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12.9 g, with a wing length of about 7.5 cm and a tail of around 6.7 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 958,000 km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Somali Bee-eater?
The Somali Bee-eater is a very small bird that weighs around 12.9 g.
Where does the Somali Bee-eater live?
The Somali Bee-eater is found across Africa with a range covering AF e Ethiopia and Somalia to e Kenya, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Somali Bee-eater belong to?
The Somali Bee-eater (Merops revoilii) belongs to the Meropidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Somali Bee-eater eat?
The Somali Bee-eater is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Somali Bee-eater migrate?
The Somali Bee-eater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Somali 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 Somali Bee-eater's range?
The Somali Bee-eater has a mapped global range of about 958,000 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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