Coraciiformes / Meropidae / Merops
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Merops philippinus · 栗喉蜂虎
Introduction
A bee-eater species (Merops philippinus) widely distributed across South and Southeast Asia. It inhabits open habitats close to water, particularly river valleys. Populations are strongly migratory in many areas, breeding colonially by tunneling into loamy sand banks. Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.
Description
A richly coloured, slender bird, predominantly green with a black beak. The face features a narrow blue patch with a black eye stripe, and the throat is yellow and brown. The rump and tail are blue. Body length is around 29 cm, excluding elongated central tail feathers which add an additional 7 cm. Weight ranges from 29–43 grams. The three outer toes are united at their bases. Sexes are alike in general appearance, though males tend to have longer central tail feather extensions. Juveniles are drabber and lack the elongated central tail feathers.
Identification
Distinguished from the similar blue-cheeked bee-eater by having a blue rump and tail rather than green and black, and bluish undertail feathers. The blue cheek patch is smaller, while the chestnut on the throat and breast is darker and covers a larger area. Typically found near water, whereas the blue-cheeked species prefers drier areas. Flight identification includes diurnal mass migration events.
Distribution & Habitat
Widely distributed across South and Southeast Asia with a patchy breeding distribution in India, Myanmar, parts of Southeast Asia, and eastern Sri Lanka. In India, breeds in river valleys including the Godavari, Kaveri, Tunga Badra, and Krishna rivers. Strongly migratory in many parts of its range; winter visitor in parts of Malaysia and peninsular India. Non-breeding ranges overlap with the blue-cheeked bee-eater in Gujarat and western peninsular India.
Behavior & Ecology
Predominantly eats flying insects, especially bees (including large Xylocopa sp.), wasps, hornets, and dragonflies, caught in the air by sorties from an open perch. Forages over estuaries, backwaters, and coastal seas. Caught insects are beaten on a perch to kill them and break the exoskeleton. Calls mainly in flight with a rolling chirping whistling 'teerp'. Breeds colonially in April to May in India, nesting in vertical mudbanks or gently sloping sandy land, avoiding heavy clay and vegetation cover. Nest tunnels can be nearly 2 metres deep. Lays 5 to 7 near spherical eggs. Both parents care for eggs and guard against intraspecific brood parasitism. One or two helpers may join the breeding pair after incubation begins. Birds feed and roost communally.
Conservation
Listed as a species of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Family
- Meropidae
- Genus
- Merops
Distribution
breeds northern Pakistan eastward to southeastern China and Philippines, and southward in Central India and southern Sri Lanka, and eastward in Wallacea through New Guinea and New Britain; winters to southern India, Sri Lanka, Malayan Peninsula, and Greater Sundas
Vocalizations
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.
