| Swallow-tailed bee-eater | |
|---|---|
| |
| M. hirundineus hirundineus Etosha National Park, Namibia | |
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| M. hirundineus chrysolaimus Senegal | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Coraciiformes |
| Family: | Meropidae |
| Genus: | Merops |
| Species: | M. hirundineus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Merops hirundineus Lichtenstein, AAH, 1793
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
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The swallow-tailed bee-eater (Merops hirundineus) is a species of bee-eater native to sub-Saharan Africa. It feeds predominantly on insects, especially bees and their relatives, which are caught in flight from an open perch. Its vivid colors and forked tail are distinctive.
Description
[edit]Like other bee-eaters, this is a richly coloured, slender bird. Its colours and readily visible forked tail make it unmistakable. It is mainly green with a yellow throat, blue gorget and black eye stripe and beak. Swallow-tailed bee-eaters can reach a length of 20–22 cm, including the long forked green or blue feathers. Sexes are alike.[2]
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Swallow-tailed bee-eater in flight in Etosha National Park, Namibia
Distribution and habitat
[edit]It breeds in savannah woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. It is partially migratory, moving in response to rainfall patterns. This is a species which prefers somewhat more wooded country than most bee-eaters.
Behaviour
[edit]This attractive bird is readily approached. Just as the name suggests, bee-eaters predominantly eat insects, especially bees, wasps and hornets, which are caught in the air by sorties from an open perch. The swallowtail has a preference for honeybees.[2]
These bee-eaters nest as pairs or in very small colonies in sandy banks, or similar flat ground. They make a relatively long tunnel in which the 2 to 4 spherical, white eggs are laid. They also feed and roost communally.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Merops hirundineus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T22683702A92996665. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22683702A92996665.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
- ^ a b c Fry, H.; Boesman, P.F.D. (2020). Del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi; Christie, David; De Juana, Eduardo (eds.). "Swallow-tailed Bee-eater (Merops hirundineus)". Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. doi:10.2173/bow.stbeat1.01. S2CID 216191523.
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External links
[edit]
- Swallow-tailed bee-eater - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds.
- Swallow-tailed bee-eater Structured guide to the species in southern Africa
