Birds · Coraciiformes · Meropidae

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It nests in colonies of over 100 pairs, digging tunnels into clay banks, and non-breeding 'helpers' pitch in to feed the chicks.

Weight

45 g – 80 g

Size

27 cm – 29 cm

Lifespan

5 years

Diet

Insectivore

Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaTemperate forestInsectivore Diurnal Colonial Bird Savanna Temperate forest

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Fun facts

It catches bees and wasps in flight, and has techniques for removing the sting before swallowing them.
It breeds cooperatively, a behaviour that is uncommon among birds.
It winters in sub-Saharan Africa.
alimentaciónIt rubs the bees and wasps it catches against a branch to work the venom out of the sting before swallowing them whole.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - pneumatised bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Open country with broken ground and river banks across southern Europe, North Africa and western Asia; it winters in sub-Saharan Africa
Birth weight: Weight at hatching not found as a precise figure
Size at birth: Born blind and naked
Sexual maturity: 1 year
Gestation / incubation: 19-28 days (usual reference 19-20 days)
Litter / clutch size: 2 to 10 eggs per clutch (most commonly 4-7)

Sources consulted: A-Z Animals; Wildlife Vagabond; Birds of the World; Birds Discovery; The Animal Facts; Animal Diversity Web; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Birdfact