🌍Meet the Bee-eaters of Africa
Southern Carmine Bee-eater (Merops nubicoides)
If there’s a bird designed to steal the show, it’s the Southern Carmine Bee-eater. Brilliantly pink with a turquoise crown and long tail streamers, they gather in enormous colonies along sandy riverbanks, particularly along the Zambezi. Seeing flocks of carmines swirling above the water at sunset is one of the most unforgettable birding sights on the continent.
Little Bee-eater (Merops pusillus)
Small but dazzling, the Little Bee-eater is just 15 cm long but never overlooked. Its emerald-green back, golden throat, and bold black eye-stripe make it one of the brightest flashes of colour in the bush. Unlike many of its relatives, it doesn’t have long tail streamers – but it makes up for that by being the most widespread, found almost anywhere from open woodlands to river edges.
Swallow-tailed Bee-eater (Merops hirundineus)
Sleek and graceful, the Swallow-tailed Bee-eater is named for its deeply forked tail. Bright green with a yellow throat edged in black and shimmering blue underparts, it looks like it was painted in tropical colours. Preferring open savanna and thornveld, they’re often seen in pairs, darting swiftly after insects with precision.
White-fronted Bee-eater (Merops bullockoides)
Easily recognised by its snowy forehead and glowing red throat, the White-fronted Bee-eater is also one of the most social. These birds gather in noisy colonies along riverbanks, where dozens – sometimes hundreds – tunnel into the sand to nest side by side. Watching them wheel and call above a river is a real spectacle.
White-throated Bee-eater (Merops albicollis)
With its bold black-and-white striped head, chestnut crown, white throat, and long flowing tail feathers, the White-throated Bee-eater stands out immediately. This is a true wanderer – breeding far north in the Sahel before migrating south after the rains. While less common than other bee-eaters in Southern Africa, lucky birders may spot them in northern Namibia or Zimbabwe during their seasonal travels.
So next time you spot one of these beautiful bee-eaters on camera, be sure to tag it in SafariSnaps. The more correct tags, the more points you'll win and move up our leaderboard!
