About the Olive Bee-eater
The olive bee-eater or Madagascar bee-eater is a bee-eater species in the genus Merops. It is native to the southern half of Africa where it is present in Angola; Botswana; Burundi; Comoros; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Djibouti; Eritrea; Ethiopia; Kenya; Madagascar; Malawi; Mayotte; Mozambique; Namibia; Rwanda; Somalia; South Sudan; Sudan; Tanzania; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe. It is a common species with a wide range so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated their conservation status as "least concern".
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The olive bee-eater grows to a length of 23 to 26 cm (9.1 to 10.2 in) with its tail streamers adding up to 7 cm (2.8 in). The sexes are similar, and adults have bronzy-green plumage with an olive cap and white forehead, eyebrows, chin and cheeks. The rump and tail are blue, apart from the streamers, which are black.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in South Africa, Botswana, France.
When to see it
Peak activity in November · a variable species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaterMerops oreobatesThe species measures 22 centimetres (8.7 in) in length and weighs 17–38 grams (0.60–1.34 oz).
Southern Carmine Bee-eaterMerops nubicoidesThis species, like other bee-eaters, is richly coloured and is predominantly carmine in colouration, but the crown and undertail are blue.
Red-throated Bee-eaterMerops bulockiThe adult red-throated bee eater grows to about 20 to 22 cm (8 to 9 in) in length with a moderately long tail, but no streamers.
Learn the Olive Bee-eater for real
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