Bee-eaters (Meropidae)
Olive Bee-eater (Merops superciliosus) - HBW 6, p. 337
French: Guêpier de Madagascar
German: Madagaskarspint
Spanish: Abejaruco Malgache
Other common names: Madagascar/Malagasy/Brown-breasted Bee-eater
Taxonomy: Merops superciliosus Linnaeus, 1766, Madagascar.
Forms a superspecies with M. persicus and M. philippinus, and the three taxa have often been regarded as conspecific. Perhaps more closely related to M. philippinus, with which still frequently treated as conspecific, but differs significantly in some plumage characters; shows striking plumage differences from M. persicus. Two subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- superciliosus Linnaeus, 1766 - E Ethiopia, Somalia and E Kenya to NE Tanzania and S Mozambique; also Comoro Is and Madagascar; sporadically in NW Zimbabwe.
- alternans Clancey, 1971 - W Angola and NW Namibia.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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A bird landing on a dead tree, finally flying away Locality Entebbe, Uganda (ssp superciliosus)
Josep del Hoyo 26 August 2006 5 years ago 39 sec 4.1 -
3 birds Locality Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda (ssp superciliosus)
Daniêl Jimenez 22 September 2010 50 weeks ago 11 sec 3 -
A bird perched on a branch then flying away Locality Hippo Pools Campsite, Ruacana, Omusati Region, Namibia (ssp alternans)
Keith Blomerley 16 January 2007 4 years ago 9 sec 2.2 -
Two birds resting on top of an acacia tree Locality Uganda (ssp superciliosus)
Rigdon Currie 31 July 2004 5 years ago 11 sec 2.1
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On electricity line, chasing insects
Locality Madagascar (ssp superciliosus)
Photo-ay 28 July 2009 2 years ago 3.3
- No sound recordings available yet
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