# European Bee-eater (*Merops apiaster*) The European Bee-eater is a colorful bird known for its beautiful feathers and cheerful songs. It loves to catch bees and other insects in mid-air, making it a fun bird to watch! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![European Bee-eater](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/%D0%91%D0%B4%D0%B6%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%97%D0%B4%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D0%B7%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%BE_%D1%89%D1%83%D1%80%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D1%94%D0%B2%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BF%D0%B5%D0%B9%D1%81%D1%8C%D0%BA%D0%B0.jpg&width=800) Photo: Петро Катеринич, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%D0%91%D0%B4%D0%B6%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%97%D0%B4%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D0%B7%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%BE_%D1%89%D1%83%D1%80%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D1%94%D0%B2%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BF%D0%B5%D0%B9%D1%81%D1%8C%D0%BA%D0%B0.jpg) ## Appearance The European Bee-eater has a stunning blend of colors, including a bright yellow throat, chestnut crown, blue-green belly, and green wings. A prominent black eye-stripe and a long, slender, downcurved bill are distinct features. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Coraciiformes - **Family:** Meropidae - **Genus:** Merops ## Interesting facts - Bee-eaters are aptly named; they can eat hundreds of bees in a single day! - European Bee-eaters often call to each other with a distinctive 'pruup' sound while flying. - These social birds often nest in large colonies, sometimes numbering hundreds of pairs. - They are excellent long-distance flyers, migrating thousands of kilometers each year. ## Special abilities - **Sting Scrubber:** European Bee-eaters can rub venomous insects on a branch to safely remove their sting, making them harmless to eat. - **Aerial Acrobat:** European Bee-eaters have incredibly agile flight, allowing them to catch fast-moving insects mid-air with ease. - **Burrow Builder:** European Bee-eaters can dig long tunnels in sandy banks, creating safe, cool nests for their eggs and chicks. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 27-29 cm - **Wingspan:** 36-40 cm - **Weight:** 0.044-0.066 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 4-7 - **Incubation:** 20-22 days - **Migration Distance:** 10000 km ## Diet & Feeding These colourful birds are expert insect hunters, primarily feasting on bees, wasps, and other flying insects. - **Primary Foods:** Bees, Wasps, Dragonflies, Butterflies, Hornets, Cicadas - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — A primary food source during breeding season. - **Hunts:** Common Wasp (*Vespula vulgaris*) — Often caught and consumed after sting removal. - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Sparrowhawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-sparrowhawk) (*Accipiter nisus*) — A common aerial predator of adults and juveniles. - **Parasitizes:** Great Spotted Cuckoo (*Clamator glandarius*) — Lays eggs in bee-eater nests for host parenting. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify European Bee-eater? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is European Bee-eater? 27-29 cm ### What is European Bee-eater's wingspan? 36-40 cm ### How much does European Bee-eater weigh? 0.044-0.066 kg ### How long does European Bee-eater live? 5-10 years ### How fast can European Bee-eater move? 60 km/h ### What does European Bee-eater eat? These colourful birds are expert insect hunters, primarily feasting on bees, wasps, and other flying insects. ### Where is European Bee-eater usually found? Grasslands ## Where to spot - [Parque Regional del Sureste](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/parque-regional-del-sureste) — Comunidad de Madrid, ES · Park - [Barrancas de Castrejón y Calaña Natural Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/barrancas-de-castrejon-y-calana-natural-monument) — Castilla-La Mancha, ES · Park - [Doñana National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/do-ana-national-park) — Andalusia, ES · National Park - [Juslibol Oxbow Nature Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/juslibol-oxbow-nature-area) — Aragón, ES · Park - [Punta Aderci Regional Nature Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/punta-aderci-regional-nature-reserve) — IT · Park - [Barrancos de Gebas Protected Landscape](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/barrancos-de-gebas-protected-landscape) — Mainland, ES · Park [View all places to see European Bee-eater](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/european-bee-eater) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [European Bee-eater: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-bee-eater)