Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Bee-eater
Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images & Videos
Bee-eater
European bee-eaters' journey to parenthood
Courtship rituals of European bee-eaters and rollers
carmine bee-eater yellow bee-eaters
Quizzes
Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters
Animal Group Names
Lion (panthera leo)
Deadliest Animals Quiz
Young chimpanzee dressed in a shirt and sweater vest, scratching his head thinking. (primates)
Wild Words from the Animal Kingdom Vocabulary Quiz
Mute swan with cygnet. (birds)
Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz
turkey vulture. vulture. Close-up of a head and beak of a Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura).
A Little Bird Told Me
Quick Facts
Britannica AI Icon
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Bee-eater
Bee-eater Bee-eater (Merops apiaster).

Bee-eater

bird
Also known as: Meropidae
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
Last updated
•History
European bee-eaters' journey to parenthood
1 of 2
European bee-eaters' journey to parenthoodLearn about the European bee-eater.
See all videos for this article
Courtship rituals of European bee-eaters and rollers
2 of 2
Courtship rituals of European bee-eaters and rollersLearn about the courtship rituals of European bee-eaters and European rollers.
See all videos for this article

Bee-eater, any of about 25 species of brightly coloured birds of the family Meropidea (order Coraciiformes). Found throughout tropical and subtropical Eurasia, Africa, and Australasia (one species, Merops apiaster, occasionally reaches the British Isles), bee-eaters range in length from 15 to 35 cm (6 to 14 inches).

carmine bee-eater
carmine bee-eaterCarmine bee-eater (Merops nubicus).

The bee-eater’s bill is moderately long, slightly downcurved, and sharply pointed. Brilliant plumage is characteristic; green predominates, but many species are partially coloured with red, yellow, blue, or purple. Many have elongated central tail feathers. Bee-eaters feed on bees, wasps, and other insects.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.