European Bee-eater
Merops apiaster
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderCoraciiformes (Rollers, Kingfishers, and Allies)
- FamilyMeropidae (Bee-eaters)
- GenusMerops (Typical Bee-eaters)
- SpeciesMerops apiaster (European Bee-eater)
The European bee-eater (Merops apiaster) is a bird species in the bee-eater family, Meropidae. It has the largest range of any bee-eater species. It breeds in southern and central Europe, northern and southern Africa, and western Asia. Except for the resident southern African population, the species is strongly migratory, wintering in tropical Africa. This species occurs as a spring overshoot north of its usual range, with occasional breeding in northern Europe. Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Addo Elephant National Park
White-fronted Bee-eater
Merops bullockoides
Whitethroated Bee-eater
Merops albicollis
Little Bee-eater
Merops pusillus
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Merops persicus
Brown-hooded Kingfisher
Halcyon albiventris
Pied Kingfisher
Ceryle rudis
Malachite Kingfisher
Corythornis cristatus
Giant Kingfisher
Megaceryle maxima
Lilac-breasted Roller
Coracias caudatus
Half-collared Kingfisher
Alcedo semitorquata
European Roller
Coracias garrulus
African Pygmy-Kingfisher
Ispidina picta
📅 Monthly Probability
Fewer than 5 records of European Bee-eater at Addo Elephant National Park — not enough to chart months honestly.
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there