The blue-headed bee-eater is a species of bird in the family Meropidae. It is found in forest habitats in tropical West and Central Africa, including in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and Kenya.
Region
West and Central Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs in evergreen and semi-deciduous lowland rainforest, forest edges, and clearings, including along rivers and tracks. It favors gaps and edges where it can sally from exposed perches into sunlit airspace to catch insects. It also uses secondary growth and selectively logged forest when suitable perches and banks for nesting are available. It is generally absent from open savanna far from forest cover.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This striking bee-eater specializes in catching flying insects and deftly removes stingers by beating prey against a perch before swallowing. It nests in burrows excavated into sandy or earthen banks, often in small loose colonies. Its vivid blue head and black eye-mask make it one of the most distinctive forest bee-eaters of West and Central Africa.
Profile view
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with agile sallies and brief glides
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small groups, sometimes loosely associating with mixed-species flocks along forest edges. It excavates nesting burrows in vertical banks, road cuttings, or riverbanks and may breed in small colonies. Both sexes participate in burrow digging and parental care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives soft, rolling trills and liquid, whistled prree or preep notes while foraging. Calls are mellow but carry through the forest edge, often exchanged between perched individuals.
