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Bee-eaters (Meropidae)

European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) - HBW 6, p. 339

French: Guêpier d’Europe German: Bienenfresser Spanish: Abejaruco Europeo
Other common names: Golden/Eurasian Bee-eater

Taxonomy: Merops Apiaster Linnaeus, 1758, southern Europe.
Relationships unclear. Monotypic.

Distribution: NW Africa (Morocco E to Libya) and SW Europe (Iberia) E to W Russia and C & SW Asia (E to L Balkhash and L Zaysan in Kazakhstan), S to Afghanistan and Oman; also S Namibia and South Africa. Winters at lower latitudes in tropical Africa.

Least Concern

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Bee-eater with a butterfly victim. Locality Lublin Province, Poland (Monotypic species)
Paweł Wacławik 2 July 2006 3 years ago 4.6
Pair about to mate Locality Decima Malafede Nature Reserve, Roma, Lazio Region, Italy
Marco Valentini 9 May 2013 1 week ago ADDED LAST MONTH 4.5
Adult resting on branch with 2nd landing Locality Andalucia, Spain
Simon Littlejohn 1 May 2008 2 years ago 4.5
Backward Dive Locality Arakhiya Farm, Al Rayyan, Qatar
John A Thompson 22 April 2010 3 years ago 4.5
A male feeding a female. Locality La Cartuja Baja, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain (Monotypic species)
Jesús Laborda 27 May 2012 47 weeks ago 4.5
Hunting. Locality Madrid, Spain
jorgerubio 15 April 2006 4 years ago 4.4
Adult Locality Lesbos Island, North Aegean Region, Greece
Paul Cools 26 weeks ago 4.4
An adult in flight just leaving the nest Locality Lisbon Region, Portugal
Jose Viana 19 May 2008 3 years ago 4.4
Sunbathing at sunset Locality Decima Malafede Nature Reserve, Roma, Lazio Region, Italy
Marco Valentini 9 May 2013 5 days ago ADDED LAST WEEK 4.4
A bird in flight. Locality Sohar, Al Batinah Governorate, Oman (Monotypic species)
Hanne and Jens Eriksen 41 weeks ago 4.4
European Bee-eater Locality Marsa Alam, Red Sea Governorate, Egypt
Kevin B Agar 13 October 2011 1 year ago 4.4
The first batch of migrators pass Locality Arakhiya Farm, Al Rayyan, Qatar
John A Thompson 1 April 2010 3 years ago 4.4
Adult perched Locality Decima Malafede Nature Reserve, Roma, Lazio Region, Italy
Marco Valentini 9 May 2013 1 week ago ADDED LAST MONTH 4.4
A bird in flight. Locality Madrid, Spain
jorgerubio 16 April 2006 4 years ago 4.4
coming back from a hunt Locality Hortobágy National Park, Hortobágy, Hajdú-Bihar County, Hungary
gerfer 43 weeks ago 4.3
With a bee just catched Locality Isola della Cona, Isonzo River’s Mouth Regional Nature Reserve, Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region, Italy
Cristiano Crolle 25 May 2012 51 weeks ago 4.3
looking around Locality Rasht, Gilan Province, Iran
GHOST 10 April 2012 17 weeks ago 4.3
Display of the couple Locality Goudelancourt-lès-Pierrepont, Aisne, Picardie, France
Marc FASOL 31 May 2012 25 weeks ago 4.3
Adult Locality Kalloni Saltworks, Kalloni, Lesbos Island, North Aegean Region, Greece
Paul Cools 8 June 2009 29 weeks ago 4.3
One of the most beautiful birds we have in Europe Locality Camargue, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
Christian Segonne 9 June 2008 2 years ago 4.3
A pair Locality Arakhiya Farm, Al Rayyan, Qatar
John A Thompson 4 April 2010 3 years ago 4.3
Landing Locality Arakhiya Farm, Al Rayyan, Qatar
John A Thompson 4 April 2010 3 years ago 4.3
Landing adult Locality Lesbos Island, North Aegean Region, Greece
odburt 21 May 2009 3 years ago 4.3
Bee-eater with bee Locality Lesbos Island, North Aegean Region, Greece (Monotypic species)
Rob Belterman 4 June 2012 49 weeks ago 4.2
Close-up on an adult on the ground. Locality Kendirli (Fetisovo) village, Mangystau Province, Kazakhstan (Monotypic species)
Christophe Gouraud 5 May 2012 35 weeks ago 4.2
resting on a branch Locality Zagreb County, Croatia
spiljar 31 July 2011 1 year ago 4.2
Adult stretching on branch Locality Zagreb County, Croatia
spiljar 5 June 2010 2 years ago 4.2
Bee eater in flight Locality El Burgo de Ebro, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
Brendan Marnell 26 April 2011 20 weeks ago 4.1
European Bee-eaters Locality Belek, Antalya Province, Turkey
cetin ceki 11 May 2012 14 weeks ago 4.1
On guard duty while mate excavates nest hole in soil bank Locality El Burgo de Ebro, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
Brendan Marnell 21 April 2010 2 years ago 4.1
shambat Locality Sudan
mohammmmad alamin khogaly... 1 week ago ADDED LAST MONTH 4
resting on a branch Locality Beglitskaya Spit, Neklinovsky District, Rostov Oblast, Western Russia, Russia (Monotypic species)
Anatoliy Kuzmin 4 September 2012 36 weeks ago 4
A male feeding a female. Locality La Cartuja Baja, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain (Monotypic species)
Jesús Laborda 27 May 2012 37 weeks ago 4
A perched pair. Locality La Cartuja Baja, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain (Monotypic species)
Jesús Laborda 17 May 2012 44 weeks ago 4
An adult bird in hand, at ISPRA ringing station. Locality Ventotene Island, Pontine Islands, Lazio Region, Italy
raniero massoli-novelli 27 April 2012 1 year ago 4
Bee-eaters sitting on a branch near the breeding colony, Natura 2000 site Studen kladenets, BG0002013. Locality Studen Kladenets, Bulgaria
Stefan Avramov 6 August 2011 1 year ago 4
European Bee-eater Locality Marsa Alam, Red Sea Governorate, Egypt
Kevin B Agar 7 October 2011 1 year ago 4
A perched pair. Locality La Cartuja Baja, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain (Monotypic species)
Jesús Laborda 13 May 2011 1 year ago 4
About to take-off from ground-nesting area Locality El Burgo de Ebro, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
Brendan Marnell 22 April 2010 2 years ago 4
Bird with prey. Locality Zagreb County, Croatia
spiljar 12 March 2011 2 years ago 4
Still on guard Locality El Burgo de Ebro, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
Brendan Marnell 21 April 2010 2 years ago 4
Juvenile in migration Locality Nabq, South Sinai Governorate, Egypt (Monotypic species)
Skua Nature 16 October 2010 2 years ago 4
Adult checking out nesting sites Locality El Burgo de Ebro, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
Brendan Marnell 25 April 2010 2 years ago 4
Couple de European Bee-eater. Locality Camargue, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
Christian Segonne 9 June 2008 2 years ago 4
With his catch Locality Arakhiya Farm, Al Rayyan, Qatar
John A Thompson 22 April 2010 3 years ago 4
A little angry? Locality Isola della Cona, Isonzo River’s Mouth Regional Nature Reserve, Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region, Italy
Cristiano Crolle 25 May 2012 50 weeks ago 3.9
A bird perched in a bare tree. Locality Pilanesberg National Park, North West Province, South Africa (Monotypic species)
David Beadle 6 February 2011 1 year ago 3.8
bird is looking around Locality Rasht, Gilan Province, Iran
GHOST 9 April 2012 17 weeks ago 3.8
European bee-eater in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Locality Kruger National Park, South Africa
Daniel Grove 27 January 2012 4 weeks ago ADDED LAST MONTH 3.8
Bee-eater pair examining dry mud bank for nesting suitability Locality El Burgo de Ebro, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
Brendan Marnell 23 April 2011 20 weeks ago 3.8
A bird on a twig. Locality Soufli, East Macedonia and Thrace Region, Greece
Theo Mamais 1 June 1994 27 weeks ago 3.8
Being chased by 2 bees?! Locality El Burgo de Ebro, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
Brendan Marnell 28 April 2010 2 years ago 3.8
Adult hovering over nest burrow near Mistan. Locality Mistan, Lerik Rayon, Azerbaijan (Monotypic species)
Kristof Zyskowski 20 July 2010 1 year ago 3.7
Adult on the ground. Locality Kendirli (Fetisovo) village, Mangystau Province, Kazakhstan (Monotypic species)
Christophe Gouraud 5 May 2012 35 weeks ago 3.7
A bird with a dragonfly Locality Evros Delta, East Macedonia and Thrace Region, Greece
Theo Mamais 1 July 1994 4 years ago 3.7
Group newly arrived after late Spring Locality El Burgo de Ebro, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
Brendan Marnell 21 April 2010 2 years ago 3.7
A portrait of an adult bird, at ISPRA ringing station Locality Ventotene Island, Pontine Islands, Lazio Region, Italy
raniero massoli-novelli 27 April 2012 1 year ago 3.6
on awire Locality Sudan
mohammmmad alamin khogaly... 4 weeks ago 3.6
Adult Locality Trujillo, Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain
meulens 1 May 2011 1 year ago 3.6
Nest site off-camera nearby Locality El Burgo de Ebro, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain
Brendan Marnell 25 April 2010 2 years ago 3.6

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