The Ethiopian bee-eater is a species of bird in the family Meropidae. It is found in Ethiopia and Sudan. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the blue-breasted bee-eater.
Region
Horn of Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs primarily in the Ethiopian Highlands, extending locally into adjacent South Sudan and border regions. It favors riparian corridors, edges of montane savanna, and open woodland with scattered shrubs and perches. Agricultural mosaics with fallow fields and hedgerows are also used, particularly near water. Nesting sites are typically sandy or loamy banks along rivers, streams, and road cuttings. It is generally sedentary, with local movements tracking rainfall and insect abundance.
Altitude Range
800–2600 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A slender, brightly colored bee-eater that hawks flying insects from exposed perches along riverbanks and open woodland. It was formerly treated as a subspecies of the Blue-breasted Bee-eater but is now recognized as distinct based on plumage and vocal differences. Like other bee-eaters, it removes stingers by rubbing prey against a perch before swallowing. It nests in burrows excavated in sandy banks, often in small colonies.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with agile sallies and brief glides
Social Behavior
Usually seen in small groups perched on wires, reeds, or exposed twigs from which they launch foraging flights. Breeds colonially or in loose clusters, with pairs excavating horizontal tunnels in earthen banks. Both sexes participate in nest digging and provisioning. Roosting can be communal, especially outside the breeding period.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives soft rolling trills and liquid, nasal prreee notes typical of bee-eaters. Calls are delivered frequently in flight and from perches, forming lively contact chatter within groups.
Plumage
Green upperparts with a contrasting bright blue breast band and pale underparts; neat, sleek feathering typical of bee-eaters.
Diet
Feeds mainly on flying Hymenoptera (bees and wasps), as well as dragonflies, beetles, and other aerial insects. Prey are caught on the wing in swift sallies from an exposed perch. Before swallowing, stinging insects are repeatedly thrashed and rubbed against the perch to remove the stinger and venom sac. Foraging intensity often increases after rains when insect numbers surge.
Preferred Environment
Hunts along river edges, open woodland, and farm margins where perches are plentiful and airspace is open. Frequently uses telegraph wires, reed tops, and tree snags overlooking water or open fields.
