The Little Bee-eater
(Merops pusillus) is a near-
passerine bird in the bee-eater
family Meropidae. It is resident in much of
sub-Saharan Africa. It should not be confused
with the Little Green Bee-eater, Merops orientalis.
Migration is limited to seasonal movements
depending on rainfall patterns. This species, like
other bee-eaters, is a richly coloured, slender bird.
It has green upper parts, yellow throat, black gorget,
and rich brown upper breast fading to buffish ocre on
the belly. The wings are green and brown, and the beak is
black. It reaches a length of 15–17 cm, which makes it the
smallest African bee-eater. Sexes are alike. Often silent, their
call is a soft "seep". This is an abundant and tame bird, familiar throughout its range. Numbers are estimated to be between 60-80 million Little Bee-eaters. It breeds in open country with bushes, preferably near water. Just as the name suggests, bee-eaters predominantly eat insects, especially bees, wasps and hornets, which are caught in the air by sorties from an open
perch. This species often hunts from low perches, usually a
metre or less off the ground. Before eating its meal, a
bee-eater removes the sting by repeatedly hitting the
insect on a hard surface. Unlike most bee-eaters, these
are solitary nesters, making a tunnel in sandy banks, or
sometimes in the entrance to an aardvark (anteater) den.
They lay 4 to 6 spherical white eggs. Both the male and
the female take care of the eggs. These birds roost
communally, lined up on a tree branch.
Email comments to Chris Krog at [email protected]