Green Bee-eater query (1 Viewer)

[htcdude]

Morning all,

Quick question regarding the recent Green Bee-eater split (Merops orientalis/viridissimus/cyanophrys)

I don't have any photos of the bird I saw in Oman back in 2014. Can't find much on their separate ranges but looks like it wouldn't be M viridissimus as this seems more restricted to Africa? But is there any way to determine what mine might've been? Is M orientalis more an India\Pakistan and further east ranging bird?

Thanks,

Nige

 

[l_raty]

They should have been M. cyanophrys muscatensis, in principle.

M. viridissimus is strictly African (NE to the Nile valley).
M. orientalis ranges W to Iran, but then only N of the Gulf of Oman; it does not occur on the Arabian Peninsula.

 

[htcdude]

Many thanks!