Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Merops ("bee-eater") philippinus ("of the Philippines")

Adult Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus) near Lower Pierce Reservoir - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 29-43g  /  Length: 23-26cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A colourful species of Bee-eater found in Southern Asia - in Penninsula Malaysia and Singapore it functionally carries out a switching act the the Blue-throated Bee-eater, whereby this species is a Winter visitor and the Blue-throated a summer one.  It has in the past been regarded as conspecific with similar species in Western Asia and Africa, but is currently regarded as separate.  Out of the Bee-eaters I have seen to date, it is the most cosmopolitan, being seen regularly in artificial habitats such as suburban Singapore.

Related Species:
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Meropidae
Genus: Merops
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

CAMBODIA - Khmer - ត្រដេវក្បាលបៃតង ("Green Bee-eater"?)

A fairly common resident

 - Seen at Prek Toal and Florican Grassland Reserve

SINGAPORE - A fairly common Winter migrant

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Seen around Lower Pierce Reservoir and surrounding area

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Blue-throated Bee-eater (Merops viridis)

OTHER NAMES: Common Indian Bee-eater

Latin Etymology: Merops ("bee-eater") viridis ("green")

Adult Blue-throated Bee-eater (subspecies M. v. viridis) in Malacca, Malaysia - July 2016

Featured Subspecies: Merops viridis viridis
Weight: 34-41g  /  Length: 21cm +9cm for tail streamers  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Blue-throated Bee-eater is a fairly typical member of it's family in many ways, but unlike Europe with it's single species, it shares Malaysia with two others.  Most notably, perhaps is how it alternates with another species of Bee-eater - the Blue-tailed - in it's migration pattern - the Blue-tail arrives as the Blue-throated leaves and vise versa.  It is also unusual in that they are one of the few migrants to breed in Malaysia - normally it destination for species travelling to warmer climes away from their breeding grounds.  I found them to be a bit less gregarious and a lot quieter than European Bee-eater, making them a bit trickier to locate.

Related Species:
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Meropidae
Genus: Merops
SUBSPECIES: M. v. viridis, M. v. americanus 

 - Sighting Locations -

MALAYSIA - Malay - Beberek Leher Biru ("Blue-neck Bee-eater")
A fairly common Summer migrant

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Seen in small numbers on several days in both Kuala Lumpur and Malacca

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)

OTHER NAMES: Bee-eater

Latin Etymology: Merops ("bee-eater" from Greek) apiaster ("bee eater" from Latin)

                                         Adult European Bee-eater (subspecies Merops apiaster) at El Pardo, Spain - April 2016

Featured Subspecies: N/A

Weight: 55g  /  Length: 25-29cm  /  Wingspan: 36-40cm

NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

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")

Fairly common Summer migrant, usually seen in flight passing through.

 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: Single individuals seen distantly in flight at Patones and the farmland surrounding Madrid
 - 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 .