Somali Bee-eater
Merops revoilii
The Somali Bee-eater (Merops revoilii) is a rare bee-eater found in 3 countries, weighing about 13 g. The Somali bee-eater is a species of bird in the family Meropidae.
About the Somali Bee-eater
The Somali bee-eater is a species of bird in the family Meropidae. It is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Tanzania. This is a small bee-eater that prefers arid country and desert areas where it may be locally common. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern", postulating that clearing of woodland and forest is creating new suitable habitat for the bird and that its population trend may therefore be rising.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The Somali bee-eater grows to a length of 16 to 18 cm (6.3 to 7.1 in) and is the smallest member of the genus. The sexes are similar in appearance and are slender birds with spiky plumage on the head. The crown is glossy green and the eyebrow blue. The upper parts of the body are varying shades of green, the lower back and rump are bright blue and the tail is bluish-green. The cheeks, chin and throat are white, and the breast and belly cinnamon-buff. The beak is black, the eyes reddish-brown and the legs dark grey.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Somali Bee-eater can be seen all year round, with peak activity in November. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Somali Bee-eater?
- The Somali bee-eater grows to a length of 16 to 18 cm (6.3 to 7.1 in) and is the smallest member of the genus. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Somali Bee-eater?
- The Somali Bee-eater is a tiny sized bird weighing about 13 g.
- Where can you see a Somali Bee-eater?
- The Somali Bee-eater occurs in 3 countries, including Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia.
- What birds look similar to a Somali Bee-eater?
- The Somali Bee-eater is most easily confused with the Blue-headed Bee-eater, the Rosy Bee-eater and the Böhm's Bee-eater.
- Is the Somali Bee-eater endangered?
- The Somali Bee-eater is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Somali Bee-eater for real
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