- Merops muelleri
Identification
19 cm (17½ in) plus 3cm tail streamers
- Pale blue crown
- White forehead feathers
- Purple-blue nape
- Black head sides
- Red chin feathers
Distribution
Africa: Congo basin (Cameroon to Kenya and DR Congo)
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
It was formerly considered conspecific with Blue-moustached Bee-eater.
Habitat
Canopy of lowland rain forest, mostly in the interior but also utilises clearings, glades and pathways.
Behaviour
Diet
Their diet consists almost entirely of insects, particularly honey bees, butterflies,moths, beetles and flies.
Movements
A resident species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
- Birdforum thread with among other things discussion of possible split of this species
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Sept 2018)
- Kenyabirds
- thewebsiteof everything
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Blue-headed Bee-eater. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 13 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Blue-headed_Bee-eater
