Fauna
Bird

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

European Bee-eaters are brightly colored aerial hunters with chestnut crowns, yellow throats, blue underparts, and black eye masks. Long pointed wings, slender curved bills, and elongated central tail feathers give them a distinctive silhouette.

aerial huntercolonial nestermigrant
European Bee-eater reference1 / 7
Elgollimoh / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyBees, wasps, dragonflies
Predators
  • falcons
  • snakes
  • foxes
ThreatsLoss of nesting banks, pesticide-driven insect decline, persecution, and severe weather
HabitatsOpen country, river valleys, farmland, scrub, and sandy banks suitable for burrows
Life spanOften five to six years, with some wild birds living longer
Classification
  1. OrderCoraciiformes
  2. FamilyMeropidae
  3. GenusMerops
  4. SpeciesMerops apiaster
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Keep away from nesting banks and let hunting flocks use favored perches.
Responsible observation
  • Listen: Rolling liquid calls often announce flocks passing high overhead.
  • Watch: Scan exposed wires and branches near sandy cut banks.
Related species

Related species have not been added yet.

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