Photo: C. G. Finch-Davies / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Southern Carmine Bee-eater
Merops nubicoides
Southern Carmine Bee-eater (Merops nubicoides) — 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 Southern Carmine Bee-eater (Merops nubicoides) is a member of the Meropidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 42.4 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 nubicoides
Where it lives
Angola to western Tanzania, south to Namibia, Botswana and northern South Africa
Quick facts
- Weight
- 42.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Meropidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Southern Carmine 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 Southern Carmine Bee-eater is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Southern Carmine Bee-eater (Merops nubicoides) is a member of the Meropidae family, within the order Coraciiformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF Angola to w Tanzania, s to Namibia, Botswana and n South Africa.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 42.4 g, with a wing length of about 15.2 cm and a tail of around 19.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Southern Carmine Bee-eater?
The Southern Carmine Bee-eater is a small bird that weighs around 42.4 g.
Where does the Southern Carmine Bee-eater live?
The Southern Carmine Bee-eater is found across Africa with a range covering AF Angola to w Tanzania, s to Namibia, Botswana and n South Africa, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Southern Carmine Bee-eater belong to?
The Southern Carmine Bee-eater (Merops nubicoides) belongs to the Meropidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Southern Carmine Bee-eater eat?
The Southern Carmine Bee-eater is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Southern Carmine Bee-eater migrate?
The Southern Carmine Bee-eater is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Southern Carmine 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 Southern Carmine Bee-eater make?
1 real field recording of the Southern Carmine Bee-eater can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Southern Carmine Bee-eater's range?
The Southern Carmine Bee-eater has a mapped global range of about 1.1 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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