Bird · GBIF taxon 2475443
European Bee-eater
Merops apiasterEuropean 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
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- bees
- 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
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyMeropidae
- SpeciesMerops apiaster
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- 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.
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