OTHER NAMES: Bee-eater
Latin Etymology: Merops ("bee-eater" from Greek) apiaster ("bee eater" from Latin)
Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 55g / Length: 25-29cm / Wingspan: 36-40cm
The European Bee-eater is probably the most colourful species on the entire continent - a brilliant bird of yellow, turquoise, green and orange. They are primarily found in Mediterranean in sandy banks on cliffs or river sides, often in large colonies. As colourful as they are, they are equally noisy a species, with their distinctive liquid sounding call often alerting you to their presence long before you actually see them. A feeder of large insects like wasps and bees which make up the majority of their diet, they apparently can eat around 250 a day.
Related Species:
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Meropidae
Genus: Merops
Subspecies: none (monotypic)
- Sighting Locations -
ITALY - Italian - Il gruccione comune ("Common Bee-eater")
A locally reasonably common Summer migrant.
- SICILY 2018 TRIP - One at Fiume Ciane
SPAIN - Spanish - Abejaruco común ("Common Bee-eater")
- MADRID 2015 TRIP: Single individuals seen distantly in flight at Patones and the farmland surrounding Madrid
Fairly common Summer migrant, usually seen in flight passing through.
- MADRID 2016 TRIP: A small flock perched around El Pardo and various other sightings including at Arrocampo and Monfrague.
Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto
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