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European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Least Concern
Chiều Dài
28,0 cm
Chiều Dài Sải Cánh
38,0 cm
Khối Lượng
56,0 g
Họ
Meropidae
Bộ
Coraciiformes

Giới Thiệu

The European bee-eater is one of the most colorful birds in Europe, displaying a rainbow palette of chestnut, gold, and turquoise. True to their name, bee-eaters specialize in catching venomous insects, skillfully removing the stinger before consumption. They nest in colonies, excavating tunnel burrows up to two meters into sandy banks.

Physical Description

Measurement Value Imperial
Body Length 28,0 cm 11.0 in
Chiều Dài Sải Cánh 38,0 cm 15.0 in
Khối Lượng 56,0 g 1.98 oz

Nhận Dạng

Bộ Lông

Richly colored with a chestnut-brown crown and back, golden-yellow scapulars, turquoise-blue underparts, and a black eye stripe. Central tail feathers are elongated.

Mỏ

Long, slender, slightly decurved black bill

Habitat & Range

Open country with scattered trees, sandy banks, and river cliffs for nesting. Breeds in colonies in tunnels dug into earth banks.

Phạm Vi Địa Lý

Southern Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Winters in tropical Africa. A long-distance migrant.

Diet & Feeding

Primarily bees, wasps, and hornets caught in flight. Removes stingers by beating prey against a branch before swallowing.

Tình Trạng Bảo Tồn

Least Concern
IUCN Red List

Hành Vi & Sinh Sản

Làm Tổ

Nest type: BU. Incubation: 13-20 days. Fledging: 30-31 days.

Số Trứng

4-10

Âm Thanh

Tiếng Hót

A liquid, melodic 'pruik-pruik' or rolling 'prruup-pruup' in flight. Flocks give a distinctive far-carrying bubbling call audible before birds are seen. Considered a pleasant sound.

Phân Loại Học

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Aves
Bộ Coraciiformes (Kingfishers & Rollers)
Họ Meropidae (Bee-eaters)
Genus Merops
Loài Merops apiaster

Names in Other Languages

Language Name
German Bienenfresser
Spanish Abejaruco Europeo

Distribution

European Bee-eater has been recorded in 6 countries.

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Hiện Diện Not recorded
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countries highlighted

External Databases

Câu Hỏi Thường Gặp

What does the European Bee-eater eat?
Primarily bees, wasps, and hornets caught in flight. Removes stingers by beating prey against a branch before swallowing.
Where does the European Bee-eater live?
Open country with scattered trees, sandy banks, and river cliffs for nesting. Breeds in colonies in tunnels dug into earth banks.
Is the European Bee-eater endangered?
The European Bee-eater has a conservation status of Least Concern.
How does the European Bee-eater nest?
Nest type: BU. Incubation: 13-20 days. Fledging: 30-31 days.
What does the European Bee-eater sound like?
A liquid, melodic 'pruik-pruik' or rolling 'prruup-pruup' in flight. Flocks give a distinctive far-carrying bubbling call audible before birds are seen. Considered a pleasant sound.
How big is the European Bee-eater?
The European Bee-eater has a body length of 28.0 cm, wingspan of 38.0 cm, weight of 56.0 g.
What order and family does the European Bee-eater belong to?
The European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) belongs to the order Coraciiformes and the family Meropidae.

Similar Birds

Other species in the Meropidae family

So Sánh

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