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Meropidae - bee-eaters

Striped SkunkThere are about 26 species of brightly-colored birds in this family. They are found in open or lightly-wooded areas, usually near swamps, rivers, lakes, or flooded fields in tropical and semi-tropical regions of Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and the South Pacific.

Most of the species in this family are green with red, yellow, blue, or black markings. They are between 6 to 14 inches in length and have long tails and long, sharply pointed black bills. Many species have a black stripe that runs from the eye to the base of the bill.

Bee-eaters are insectivores and eat flying insects. They sit on branches or other perches and wait for insects to fly by and then give chase! They get the name bee-eater because they often eat bees and wasps.

Bee-eaters live in flocks and are very sociable. Most species build their nests in riverbanks. Bee-eaters are cooperative breeders. Non-breeding birds help build the nests and help incubate the eggs and feed and raise the young.

World Status Key
Least ConcernLeast Concern Near ThreatenedNear Threatened VulnerableVulnerable EndangeredEndangered Critically EndangeredCritically Endangered extinct in the wildExtinct in Wild extinctExtinct
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist. If no status is listed, there is not enough data to establish status.

US Status Key
Threatened in US Threatened in US Threatened in New Hampshire Threatened in NH Endangered in US Endangered in US Endangered in NH Endangered in NH Introduced Introduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife and NH Fish and Game

  New Hampshire Species

 

 North/Central American Species

None
  None

Other Species Around the World

Africa Africa Asia Asia Australia Australia/Oceania Europe Europe North America North/Central America South America South America New Hampshire Species NH Species

Purple-bearded Bee-eater - Meropogon forsteni Least Concern Asia
White-throated Bee-eater - Merops albicollis Least Concern Africa Asia
European Bee-eater - Merops apiaster Least Concern Africa Asia Europe
Boehm's Bee-eater - Merops boehmi Least Concern Africa
Black-headed Bee-eater - Merops breweri Least Concern Africa
White-fronted Bee-eater - Merops bullockoides Least Concern Africa
Red-throated Bee-eater - Merops bulocki Least Concern Africa
Black Bee-eater - Merops gularis Least Concern Africa
Swallow-tailed Bee-eater - Merops hirundineus Least Concern Africa
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater - Merops leschenaulti Least Concern Asia
Rosy Bee-eater - Merops malimbicus Least Concern Africa
Blue-headed Bee-eater - Merops muelleri Least Concern Africa
Southern Carmine Bee-eater - Merops nubicoides Least Concern Africa
  Northern Carmine Bee-eater - Merops nubicus Least Concern Africa
Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater - Merops oreobates Least Concern Africa
Little Green Bee-eater - Merops orientalis Least Concern Africa Asia
Rainbow Bee-eater - Merops ornatus Least Concern Asia Australia
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater - Merops persicus Least Concern Africa Asia Europe
Blue-tailed Bee-eater - Merops philippinus Least Concern Asia Australia
Little Bee-eater - Merops pusillus Least Concern Africa
Somali Bee-eater - Merops revoilii Least Concern Africa
Madagascar Bee-eater - Merops superciliosus Least Concern Africa
Blue-breasted Bee-eater - Merops variegatus Least Concern Africa
Blue-throated Bee-eater - Merops viridis Least Concern Asia
Red-bearded Bee-eater - Nyctyornis amictus Least Concern Asia
Blue-bearded Bee-eater - Nyctyornis athertoni Least Concern Asia

Additional Information

Key: profile Profile Photos Photos Video Video Audio Audio

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater - Merops persicus profile Photos Video Least Concern Africa Asia Europe
The blue-cheeked bee-eater is found in northern Africa, the Middle East and southern Europe.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Blue-tailed Bee-eater - Merops philippinus Photos Least Concern Asia Australia
The blue-tailed bee-eater is found in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, East Timor, and Vietnam.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Chestnut-headed Bee-eater - Merops leschenaulti Photos Least Concern Asia
The chestnut-headed bee-eater is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

European Bee-eater - Merops apiaster profile Photos Video Least Concern Africa Asia Europe
the European bee-eater is found across much of Europe and Africa from Finland south to south Africa. It is also found in some parts of Asia.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

European Bee-eater - Merops apiaster profile Photos Least Concern Africa Asia Europe
European bee-eaters are monogamous and pairs will stay together from year-to-year.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Little Bee-eater - Merops pusillus Photos Least Concern Africa
The little bee-eater is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Little Green Bee-eater - Merops orientalis Photos Video Least Concern Africa Asia
The little green bee-eater is found in Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Laos, Mali, Mauritania, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, and Yemen.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Madagascar Bee-eater - Merops superciliosus Photos Least Concern Africa
The Madagascar bee-eater is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Comoros, Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mayotte, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Rainbow Bee-eater - Merops ornatus profile Photos Least Concern Asia Australia
The rainbow bee-eater is found in Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, East Timor.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Southern Carmine Bee-eater - Merops nubicoides Photos Video Least Concern Africa
The southern carmine bee-eater is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

White-fronted Bee-eater - Merops bullockoides Photos Video Least Concern Africa
The white-fronted bee-eater is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Congo, , Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School