Bird Guide

Arabian Green Bee-eater vs Swallow-tailed Bee-eater

Arabian Green Bee-eater (Merops cyanophrys)

Arabian Green Bee-eater

Merops cyanophrys

Tiny15 gShrubland

It is 16–18 centimetres (6.3–7.1 in) long excluding the elongated central tail feathers, which are an additional 2 cm (0.8 in) long. The head and back plumage is dull green except for a slender black eyestripe with a broad blue forehead and line above the black eyestripe, a conspicuous blue throat, and a broad black crescent at the top of the breast below the throat. The breast and underparts are blue-green. The most distinctive trait of this species is its bright blue throat and face, more intense than on either M. orientalis or M. viridissimus, and the central tail feathers are shorter.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Greg Schechter from San Francisco, USA · CC BY 2.0
Swallow-tailed Bee-eater (Merops hirundineus)

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater

Merops hirundineus

Small22 gShrubland

Like other bee-eaters, this is a richly coloured, slender bird. Its colours and readily visible forked tail make it unmistakable. It is mainly green with a yellow throat, blue gorget and black eye stripe and beak. Swallow-tailed bee-eaters can reach a length of 20–22 cm, including the long forked green or blue feathers. Sexes are alike.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Frank Vassen · CC BY 2.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Arabian Green Bee-eater and Swallow-tailed Bee-eater.