Bee-eaters (Meropidae)
Little Bee-eater (Merops pusillus) - HBW 6, p. 331
French: Guêpier nain
German: Zwergspint
Spanish: Abejaruco Chico
Taxonomy: Merops pusillus P. L. S. Müller, 1776, Senegal.
Has been placed with other small, round-winged species lacking tail-streamers in genus Mellitophagus, comprising present species and M. muelleri, M. gularis, M. variegatus, M. oreobates, M. bulocki and M. bullockoides. Races all intergrade along narrow corridor where respective ranges meet. Five subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- pusillus P. L. S. Müller, 1776 - Senegal and Guinea E to C Sudan (to c. 29º E).
- ocularis (Reichenow, 1900) - from C Sudan E to Red Sea coast of Eritrea, S to NE Zaire and NW Uganda.
- cyanostictus Cabanis, 1869 - Somalia and E Kenya.
- pusillus P. L. S. Müller, 1776 - Senegal and Guinea E to C Sudan (to c. 29º E).
- ocularis (Reichenow, 1900) - from C Sudan E to Red Sea coast of Eritrea, S to NE Zaire and NW Uganda.
- cyanostictus Cabanis, 1869 - Somalia and E Kenya.
- meridionalis (Sharpe, 1892) - E Africa (except E Kenya), and from equator S to Angola and Natal.
- argutus Clancey, 1967 - SW Angola, N Namibia, N & E Botswana, SW Zimbabwe.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
-
A bird in several perches. Locality Awash National Park, Ethiopia (ssp cyanostictus)
Josep del Hoyo 28 November 2005 7 years ago 27 sec 3.8 -
A bird on a branch, flying and returning Locality Yundum, Western Division, The Gambia (ssp pusillus)
Eldert Groenewoud 21 October 2005 5 years ago 32 sec 3.7 -
back view, preening and stretching Locality Abuko, Western Division, The Gambia
Keith and Lynn Youngs 21 November 2004 3 weeks ago ADDED LAST MONTH 27 sec 3.7 -
A bird perched on a branch Locality Moremi Game Reserve, Okavango Delta, North-West District, Botswana (ssp argutus)
Keith Blomerley 8 January 2007 5 years ago 24 sec 3.6 -
lateral view Locality Sine Saloum Delta, Fatick Region, Senegal
Juan Sanabria 1 January 2009 3 years ago 25 sec 3.5 -
A lateral and dorsal view of an adult bird perched on a wire Locality Napwatasigiria, Eastern Equatoria State, South Sudan
Marc de Bont 21 October 2004 5 years ago 33 sec 3.5
-
Little Bee-eater sitting in a bush.
Locality Arusha National Park, Arusha Region, Tanzania
Hans-Juergen Kuehnel 26 December 2011 1 year ago 4.3 -
A bird perched on a curved branch.
Locality Bijilo Forest Park, Bijilo, Western Division, The Gambia
Frank Derriks 10 November 2008 4 years ago 4.1 -
abird on abranch
Locality Sudan
mohammmmad alamin khogaly... 11 weeks ago 4 -
A pair perched on a branch. One has caught a bee
Locality Thiès Region, Senegal (ssp pusillus)
Mathieu W 20 April 2012 20 weeks ago 4 -
Bee Eater Little
Locality Sudan
Mohamed Ismael 23 weeks ago 4 -
Little bee eater
Locality Sudan
Mohamed Ismael 23 weeks ago 4
-
An individual calling once. Locality Lake Ziway, Oromia Region, Ethiopia
(ssp cyanostictus)
Josep del Hoyo 30 November 2005 16 weeks ago 3
Email this page