1 2 3 4 Africa’s 5 6 7 8 9 Bee-eaters 10 11 12 13 A GUIDE TO THEIR 14 15 IDENTIFICATION 16 17 18 19 Vibrant, varied and vocal, 20 bee-eaters are perennial favourites 21 22 with birdwatchers. The family is 23 well represented on this continent, 24 25 with 19 out of a worldwide total 26 27 of 25 species occurring in Africa. 28 In this feature, Phil Hockey takes 29 30 a look at Africa’s bee-eaters 31 and gives useful identification 32 33 pointers to distinguish species 34 in the field. 35 36 The illustrations have been 37 reproduced from the reference 38 39 work Kingfishers, Bee-eaters 40 & Rollers: A Handbook 41 42 (C. Hilary Fry and Kathie Fry, 43 44 illustrated by Alan Harris), 45 with kind permission of 46 47 Russel Friedman Books. 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 European Bee-eater Merops apiaster 65 Photograph: Nico Myburgh 1 1 2 ~ africa’s bee-eaters ~ ~ africa’s bee-eaters ~ 2 3 A guide to their identification A guide to their identification 3 4 4 5 Black- headed Bee-eater Swallow-tailed, Little, Blue-breasted and Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters red-throated and white-fronted Bee-eaters 5
6 Red-throated Bee-eater 6 Blue-breasted Bee-eater Merops bullocki 7 This hand- some spe- Merops variegatus 7 8 c i e s o f t h e Congo Basin 8 9 forest fringes is unmistakable – 9 10 the only bee-eater in the world 10 11 with even a Black-headed Bee-eater 11 Merops breweri 12 vaguely sim- 12 ilar colour 13 13 pattern is 14 14 the Celebes 15 Bee-eater 15 16 Meropogon 16 17 forsteni of 17 18 Sulawesi 18 19 Island in 19 Indonesia. 20 in coloration, the Cinnamon- 20 The Black- 21 Swallow-tailed Bee-eater chested Bee-eater almost invari- 21 headed Bee- Merops hirundineus 22 ably occurs at higher altitude yellow- 22 23 than Little Bee-eater. throated form 23 Bee-eater the largest. The two Confusion is most likely to The ranges of these two, rather 24 Blue-headed and black Bee-eaters This group of bee-eaters is char- 24 smaller species also have several occur between Cinnamon- similar species barely overlap, the 25 acterized by all species having a 25 races, which differ subtly in their chested and Blue-breasted bee- only place where they occur 26 yellow throat, a dark stripe 26 plumage patterns. eaters – both have a white flash together being the Virunga 27 through the eye and a blue or 27 All races of the Little Bee-eater on the side of the neck and the can cause as many identification National Park in Za ïre. Both are 28 blue-black breast band. The 28 can be distinguished from the breast band colour is variable. In problems as can the adults. species of wooded savannas and 29 Blue-headed Bee-eater Swallow-tailed Bee-eater differs 29 other two species because they East Africa, the two species are Juvenile Little Bee-eaters can be they can be considered as ecologi- Merops muelleri from the other three species in 30 lack a white flash on the side often confused and can appear so distinguished from the others by cal equivalents of one another, per- 30 having an obviously forked tail 31 of the neck. The colour of the similar that it has been suggested their lack of a white neck flash, but haps explaining why their ranges 31 which is predominantly blue 32 breast band ranges from blue they may be the same species. For separating juvenile Blue-breasted are largely separate. Their overall 32 above: it is also the only one of the 33 to black in both Little and Blue- example, Cinnamon-chested Bee- and Cinnamon-chested bee-eaters plumage pattern is similar, but with 33 four to have a blue rump. It is breasted bee-eaters and is not eaters have been reported several is much more of a problem. two important differences. 34 found in quite a range of habitats, 34 35 a good identification feature. times from southern Ethiopia, but Although the two species are The White-fronted Bee-eater has 35 There is some geographic varia- from mopane and Brachystegia The ranges of these two startling- The Blue-breasted Bee-eater these are almost certainly mis largely separated by altitude, a white forehead and a thin white above the eye continues around 36 tion. The Blue-headed Bee-eater woodland through to the dry riv- 36 ly beautiful bee-eaters overlap is a species of moist lowlands identifications of Blue-breasted juveniles are best distinguished band separating the black eye- the front of the head, forming a 37 illustrated is from the east of the erbeds of the Kalahari Desert. 37 extensively. Both inhabit the for- in the west of its range and Bee-eaters. The breeding on size rather than coloration. stripe from the red throat. It also narrow blue forehead. There is a 38 species’ range; the race from the The other three species could 38 ests of central and West Africa but, mountainous country in the behaviour of the two species is Even size is a dubious criterion, has a deep blue rump whereas rare colour form of this species in 39 west of the range has a much cause confusion, as their ranges 39 whereas the Blue-headed Bee- east of its range, but the Little different – the Blue-breasted as weights of the two species do that of the Red-throated Bee-eater which the normally red throat is 40 darker crown and forehead. The overlap considerably, although 40 eater is a true forest species, the Bee-eater also occurs in Bee-eater is a solitary nester overlap. The bill of the Cinnamon- is green. There is no racial varia- bright yellow. At first glance, this Black Bee-eater shown is the west- the Blue-breasted Bee-eater replac- 41 Black Bee-eater is much more likely similar habitats. whereas Cinnamon-chested Bee- chested Bee-eater is about 10 per tion in White-fronted Bee-eaters, could be mistaken for a 41 ern race; the eastern race lacks the es the Little Bee-eater over much 42 to be encountered in forest clear- The Cinnamon-chested Bee- eaters frequently breed in small cent longer than that of Blue- but Red-throated Bee-eaters differ Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, but 42 brilliant cobalt-blue eyebrow stripe of the Congo Basin. The three dif- 43 ings and along forest fringes. eater is more confined to highland colonies. Interestingly, the latter breasted Bee-eater but, without in colour between the western and the yellow-throated form of Red- 43 (supercilium). The Blue-headed fer in size, with the 44 Adults of both species have red areas around 2 000 metres are regularly parasitized by Greater direct comparison, this would eastern populations, which are iso- throated Bee-eater lacks the dark 44 Bee-eater is the rarer of the two Little Bee-eater being the smallest 45 throats and blue bellies, but the altitude. It does occur as high as Honeyguides Indicator indicator. be a difficult character to use in lated from one another. The west- breast band and has a rich blue, 45 species, being common only in and the Cinnamon-chested upperparts of the Black Bee-eater 3 000 metres and, in Sudan, Juveniles of these three species the field. ern race is illustrated here (top), not ochre, vent. 46 Gabon – very few nests 46 are much darker and more uni- as low as 700 metres. It is consid- but the eastern race has a thin, Even when flying high over- 47 of this species have ever been 47 formly coloured than those of the erably larger, and more social, bright blue line above and below head, these two species can be 48 found. The Black Bee-eater, unlike 48 Blue-headed Bee-eater. than the Little Bee-eater. Although the black eyestripe. The blue stripe distinguished by their calls. The 49 many others, is a solitary nester. 49 the two species are very similar call of the White- 50 50 fronted Bee-eater is a nasal ‘gaaa’, 51 whereas the Red-throated Bee- 51 52 eater gives a sharp, far- 52 53 carrying ‘wip’ call. Both species 53 54 are highly gregarious, colonial 54 55 breeders: colonies of either species 55 56 can contain upwards of 100 nests. 56 57 Black Bee-eater 57 Merops gularis 58 Little Bee-eater 58 59 Merops pusillus 59 60 60 61 61 62 KEY TO DISTRIBUTION maps 62 NON-BREEDING VISITOR 63 63 RESIDENT OR Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater White-fronted Bee-eater 64 SEDENTARY SPECIES Merops oreobates 64 BREEDING VISITOR Merops bullockoides 65 65
58 africa – birds & birding august/september 1996 africa’s bee-eaters ~ identification 59
1 ~ africa’s bee-eaters ~ ~ africa’s bee-eaters ~ 2 A guide to their identification A guide to their identification 3 4 somali and white-throated Bee-eaters bÖhm’s and little green Bee-eaters rosy and carmine Bee-eaters 5 6 Rosy Bee-eater Böhm’s Bee-eater 7 Merops malimbicus Southern Carmine Bee-eater Merops boehmi Merops nubicoides 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Somali Bee-eater 15 Merops revoilii 16 These two species 17 share a bright 18 Little Green Bee-eater white throat and a Bee-eater, it lacks elongated central Merops orientalis 19 pale blue rump, but are unlikely to tail feathers. The White-throated is very common in some parts of its These are the only bee-eaters in 20 be confused with one another. The Bee-eater is further distinguished by rather restricted range. Although few the world that are predominantly 21 Somali Bee-eater is a resident spe- its black crown and a black band nesting colonies have been found, different, and I have chosen to treat pink below. In both adult and juve- 22 cies of dry, thorny scrubland, and across the lower throat. Below, the some that have been are spectacular- them as separate species. The ranges of these two, rather similar, spe- nile plumages, however, the Rosy 23 has a range extending from Somali Bee-eater is predominantly ly large: no fewer than 23 700 nests Both are predominantly pink in cies do not overlap. Böhm’s Bee-eater is con- Bee-eater can never be confused with 24 Somalia south to northern buff, whereas the White-throated were counted at a single colony! colour. The Northern Carmine Bee- fined to the open woodlands of south-cen- the other two species because of its 25 Tanzania. Unlike the White-throated Bee-eater is pale blue-green. The carmine bee-eaters are a bit of eater has a turquoise crown and tral and eastern Africa, while the range of the totally dark upperparts and conspicu- a taxonomic enigma, and there is throat separated by a black eyestripe. 26 Little Green Bee-eater extends in a narrow ous white moustachial streak. It is some debate as to whether they The Southern Carmine Bee-eater dif- 27 latitudinal band from sub-Saharan West largely associated with rivers and should be treated as one or two spe- fers in having a pink throat which is 28 Africa east to Vietnam and Burma. nests colonially in burrows on sand- cies. One population breeds over a the same colour as its breast. These Northern Carmine 29 There is no racial variation in Böhm’s Bee- bars which become exposed as water Bee-eater wide longitudinal range immediately differences in head colour are also eater, which always has a brown crown and levels fall during the dry season. It is Merops nubicus 30 to the south of the Sahara, while the evident in the juveniles – the throat of throat separated by a narrow black eyestripe a gregarious and noisy species which 31 with a thin blue line below it behind the eye. other breeds in south-central and the juvenile Northern Carmine Bee- 32 Both species are predominantly green with south-eastern Africa. Both popula- eater is a dirty greyish-blue, whereas 33 tions are partially migratory, the that of the Southern Carmine Bee- Northern elongated central tail feathers, but Little Carmine 34 northern one moving south, and vice eater is pale pink. Bee-eater Green Bee-eater always has a dark stripe 35 across the upper breast, which is wide or versa, at the end of the breeding sea- On rare occasions, however, juvenile 36 narrow, depending on the race. The throat son. Although both reach equatorial Southern Carmine Bee-eaters have 37 ranges in colour from yellow in north-east- latitudes outside their breeding sea- been recorded with bluish throats. ern Africa to blue-green or bright blue in the sons, the ranges Care should therefore be taken not to 38 Middle East. The race illustrated (viridissimus) of the two never overlap. Not only misidentify these rare, blue-throated 39 White-throated Bee-eater is the most widespread in Africa, being do their ranges not meet, but birds juvenile Southern Carmine Bee-eaters 40 Merops albicollis Southern found from Senegal east to Ethiopia. from the two populations look quite as Northern Carmine Bee-eaters. Carmine 41 Bee-eater 42 43 44 european, olive (madagascar) and blue-cheeked Bee-eaters european, olive (madagascar) and blue-cheeked Bee-eaters 45 This group of similarly coloured Olive Bee-eater green backs. The throat of the adult blue cheeks and a greenish crown and is 46 European Bee-eater bee-eaters regularly causes confu- Merops superciliosus European Bee-eater is bright yellow, and is considerably more difficult to distinguish 47 Merops apiaster sion among observ- separated from the blue breast and belly by from Blue-cheeked Bee-eater. The wing of 48 ers. However, the a well-defined black line. Neither Blue- Blue-cheeked Bee-eater is longer than that 49 head pattern and cheeked nor Olive Bee-eater has a black of Olive Bee-eater, but the secret to sepa- adult 50 back coloration of throat band in any plumage. Even if details rating the two species lies in the head col- 51 the European Bee- of the head colour cannot be seen, the oration. Both have a predominantly brown 52 adult eater are always European Bee-eater is equally easy to distin- throat with a yellowish chin (more obvious sufficiently distinct guish in flight. The rump is yellow, not in Blue-cheeked Bee-eater), and both have 53 juvenile from the other two green, and the inner region of the upper a conspicuous black stripe through the eye. 54 that this species wing displays a large chestnut patch. The However, the crown colour is quite dif- 55 should not cause a inner wings of the other two species are ferent: Blue-cheeked Bee-eater has a green 56 problem. At rest, the green.Olive and Blue-cheeked bee-eaters crown and Olive Bee-eater has a brown 57 adult shows a rich are a much more problematic pair, and crown. Both have a pale area above and 58 rufous crown and misidentifications are frequent. In particu- below the eyestripe, but in Blue-cheeked 59 back, and the scapu- lar, Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters in worn plum- Bee-eater this is blue, whereas in Olive juvenile 60 lars are a beautiful age are regularly misidentified as Olive Bee- Bee-eater it is off-white. The pale stripe 61 golden-yellow eaters where the two co-occur. below the eye of Blue-cheeked Bee-eater 62 colour. Adults in fresh plumage should never does not continue unbroken and of the 63 The other two spe- cause a problem in Africa, but there is an same colour on to the chin, whereas it Blue-cheeked Bee-eater cies always have Asian race of the Olive Bee-eater which has does in Olive Bee-eater. Merops persicus 64 65
60 africa – birds & birding august/september 1996 africa’s bee-eaters ~ identification 61