Merops nubicoides
The Southern Carmine Bee-eater, *Merops nubicoides*, is an avian spectacle, renowned for its brilliant coloration and striking presence across southern Africa. A large bee-eater, it measures 30-36 cm (12-14 in) in body length, complemented by impressive central tail streamers up to 9 cm (3.5 in) long in adults, and boasts a wingspan of 40-50 cm (16-20 in), weighing 50-70g. Its plumage is an unforgettable carmine red across the body, contrasting vividly with an iridescent blue crown, nape, and...
Found in open savanna woodlands, floodplains, and riverine habitats, often near permanent water bodies with sandy banks suitable for nesting. It inhabits elevations typically below 1500 meters (5000 feet).
Exclusively insectivorous, with a diet predominantly consisting of large flying insects such as bees, wasps, dragonflies, moths, butterflies, and beetles. Captured insects are often repeatedly bashed against a perch to remove stings or hard exoskeletons before consumption.
Diurnal and highly active, Southern Carmine Bee-eaters often gather in immense communal roosts outside the breeding season, sometimes numbering thousands, preferring large trees or reed beds. Their primary foraging strategy is aerial hawking, where they launch from elevated perches-be it dead tre...
The Southern Carmine Bee-eater is an intra-African migrant, primarily breeding across the southern savanna zone of the continent. Its breeding range extends across southeastern Angola, northern Namibia (particularly along major river systems like the Kavango and Zambezi), Botswana, Zambia, Zimbab...
Least Concern
- The Southern Carmine Bee-eater is one of the most vividly colored birds in Africa, often described as a 'living jewel' by naturalists. - Despite its name, bees and wasps make up only a portion of its diet; it consumes a wide array of large flying insects. - It is one of the few bird species kno...