The bee-eaters (family Meropidae) are a family of birds belonging to the order Coraciiformes, distributed across the Old World. These birds are especially common in open habitats such as savannas, grasslands, and riverbanks, where they can often be seen perched on exposed branches or wires. Acrobatic flights, a diet consisting mainly of bees, wasps, and other flying insects and a vibrant plumage with bright colors are the main features of this family.

The family comprises 31 species in 3 genera. Basal genera Nyctiornis (2 species) and Meropogon (1 species) comprise large, solitary birds resident to midland and foothill forest clearings of the Indomalayan. Genus Merops (27 species) features smaller, mainly gregarious birds nesting in colonies, with most of its species distributed across Africa (19 of which endemic to the Afrotropical) and Asia (5 of which endemic to the Indomalayan), in addition to one species reaching Australia and a migratory species breeding in Europe.

Mount Lang Bian near Da Lat, Vietnam, 7 Aug 2024

Blue-bearded bee-eater

Nyctyornis athertoni

Distributed along midland open forests from the Indian Subcontinent to Indochina. Large, solitary and rather inconspicuous. I have seen this species in Da Lat plateau in Vietnam and in south India.

KWSTI Center in Naivasha, Kenya, 3 Feb 2024

White-fronted bee-eater

Merops bullockoides

Found in woodland usually close to river banks in Subsaharan Africa. Their large colonies feature some of the most complex social structures among birds. I have encountered this species in Naivasha city in Kenya.

Wildebeest Eco Camp in Nairobi, Kenya, 26 Jan 2024

Cinnamon-breasted bee-eater

Merops oreobates

Found in forests and gardens of middle and high elevations across the Albertine Rift and the ranges and plateaus around the Rift Valley in east Africa. I have encountered this species in Nairobi city in Kenya.

Garoda beach near Watamu, Kenya, 11 Feb 2024

White-throated bee-eater

Merops albicollis

Found in Subsaharan Africa, with a breeding range along semi-desert areas in the Sahel and south Arabia, migrating south to Equatorial African forests over winter. I have seen this species in the coastal vegetation of Watamu in Kenya.

Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam, 10 Aug 2024

Chestnut-headed bee-eater

Merops leschenaulti

Distributed along forest clearings in south India east to Malay and Indochina, including Java and the Andaman Islands. Its partial migratory movements avoid the monsoons. I have seen this species in Cat Tien in Vietnam and the foothills of south India.

Juvenile in Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore, 8 Jul 2024

Blue-throated bee-eater

Merops viridis

Found year-round in Indochina south to Sumatra and Borneo, with a summer range north to Shanghai and Wuhan regions in China. I have observed this species in Singapore and Borneo.

Kudavellari paddyfields, India, 30 Dec 2024

Asian green bee-eater

Merops orientalis

Found in grasslands and open woodlands across the Indian subcontinent and Indochina, west to the Persian Gulf. Small and often abundant in farmland and peri-urban areas. I have seen this species in the backwaters of India.

Cabo Cope, Murcia, Spain, 18 May 2025

European bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Found in open dry areas, breeding in sandbanks along the Mediterranean and migrating towards southern Africa in winter. It is the only regularly found species in Europe. This species breeds in Alicante; I have also seen it wintering in Kenya.

Kudavellari paddyfields, India, 30 Dec 2024

Blue-tailed bee-eater

Merops philippinus

Breeding in sandbanks of India east to Indochina, they migrate to all sorts of open habitats across southeast Asia east to the Philippines and Papua in winter. I have seen this species in grasslands and backwaters of south India.

Lac Ravelobe in Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar, 7 Dec 2023

Olive bee-eater

Merops superciliosus

Distributed along open areas of Madagascar, Comoros and east Africa, with an isolated population between Angola and Namibia. Partially migratory, it leaves southern Africa during the rainy season. I have seen this species in Ankarafantsika in Madagascar.