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| − | [[Image:Blue-cheeked_Bee-eater.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|MikeB|MikeB}} <br /> | + | [[Image:Blue-cheeked_Bee-eater.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|MikeB.|MikeB.}} <br />Cuango valley, northern [[Angola]], March 2005]] |
;[[:category:Merops|Merops]] persicus | ;[[:category:Merops|Merops]] persicus | ||
==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
| − | + | 31 cm (12 in)<br /> | |
*Green plumage | *Green plumage | ||
*Blue sides to face | *Blue sides to face | ||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
*Black bill | *Black bill | ||
*Two elongated central tail feathers.<br /> | *Two elongated central tail feathers.<br /> | ||
| + | [[Image:Bee-eater, Blue-cheeked.jpg|thumb|330px|right|<br />Photo by {{user|mehtasa|Samir Mehta}}<br />Uran, Maharashtra, India; November 2009]] | ||
Sexes alike | Sexes alike | ||
| − | |||
====Similar Species==== | ====Similar Species==== | ||
Similar to [[Blue-tailed Bee-eater]] but note blue [[Topography#Heads|supercilium]]. Distinctly larger than [[Little Green Bee-eater]]. | Similar to [[Blue-tailed Bee-eater]] but note blue [[Topography#Heads|supercilium]]. Distinctly larger than [[Little Green Bee-eater]]. | ||
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[[Morocco]], [[Algeria]], eastern [[Turkey]] to [[Kazakhstan]]; winters in tropical [[Africa]]. | [[Morocco]], [[Algeria]], eastern [[Turkey]] to [[Kazakhstan]]; winters in tropical [[Africa]]. | ||
==Taxonomy== | ==Taxonomy== | ||
| − | ====Subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup> | + | ====Subspecies==== |
| − | + | There are 2 subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>: | |
* ''M. p. chrysocercus'' | * ''M. p. chrysocercus'' | ||
:*North-western [[Africa]] (south of the Atlas Mountains); [[Senegambia]] to Lake Chad | :*North-western [[Africa]] (south of the Atlas Mountains); [[Senegambia]] to Lake Chad | ||
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:*[[Egypt]] to Lake Balkhash and Hindu Kush; winters to southern [[Africa]] | :*[[Egypt]] to Lake Balkhash and Hindu Kush; winters to southern [[Africa]] | ||
==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
| − | + | Dry semi desert areas, desert oases, coastal mangroves, scrub, reed beds and farmland. | |
==Behaviour== | ==Behaviour== | ||
They hawk from exposed perches and overhead power lines. | They hawk from exposed perches and overhead power lines. | ||
====Diet==== | ====Diet==== | ||
| − | The | + | [[Image:Image631.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|Vijayashankara|Vijayashankara}}<br />Sohar, [[Oman]], April 2014]] |
| + | The African subspecies mostly eat dragonflies, whereas the Asian birds include bees, wasps and hornets too. | ||
====Breeding==== | ====Breeding==== | ||
They nest colonially in sandy banks, making a long tunnel. They lay 4-8 spherical white eggs which are incubated by both parents. | They nest colonially in sandy banks, making a long tunnel. They lay 4-8 spherical white eggs which are incubated by both parents. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| − | #{{Ref- | + | #{{Ref-Clements6thAug14}}#Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved June 2015) |
| + | #Wikipedia | ||
{{ref}} | {{ref}} | ||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
{{GSearch|Merops_persicus}} | {{GSearch|Merops_persicus}} | ||
| − | [[Category:Birds]][[Category:Merops]] | + | <br /> |
| + | {{Video|Blue_cheeked_Bee_eater}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Category:Birds]][[Category:Merops]] [[Category:Videos]] | ||
Revision as of 20:38, 23 June 2015
- Merops persicus
Identification
31 cm (12 in)
- Green plumage
- Blue sides to face
- Black eye stripe
- Yellow and brown throat
- Black bill
- Two elongated central tail feathers.
Sexes alike
Similar Species
Similar to Blue-tailed Bee-eater but note blue supercilium. Distinctly larger than Little Green Bee-eater.
Distribution
Morocco, Algeria, eastern Turkey to Kazakhstan; winters in tropical Africa.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
There are 2 subspecies[1]:
- M. p. chrysocercus
- North-western Africa (south of the Atlas Mountains); Senegambia to Lake Chad
- M. p. persicus
Habitat
Dry semi desert areas, desert oases, coastal mangroves, scrub, reed beds and farmland.
Behaviour
They hawk from exposed perches and overhead power lines.
Diet
The African subspecies mostly eat dragonflies, whereas the Asian birds include bees, wasps and hornets too.
Breeding
They nest colonially in sandy banks, making a long tunnel. They lay 4-8 spherical white eggs which are incubated by both parents.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2014. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.9., with updates to August 2014. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved June 2015)
- Wikipedia
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Blue-cheeked Bee-eater. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 19 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Blue-cheeked_Bee-eater
External Links
