From Opus

Photo by mjbmjbmjb
Location: Cuango valley, northern Angola

Merops nubicoides

[edit] Identification

Carmine with blue crown and undertail coverts.

[edit] Distribution

Central and southern Africa: North-eastern South Africa, northern and eastern Botswana and north-eastern Namibia, north to Gabon, eastern Zaire and Kenya.

[edit] Taxonomy

Monotypic.

[edit] Habitat

Open woodland, savanna, low-altitude river valleys and floodplains, arid Acacia shrublands.

[edit] Behaviour

The nest is at the end of a 1-2m long burrow in an earthen bank, and 2-5 eggs are laid.

The diet includes bees and other flying insects.

[edit] External Links