Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

Merops persicus Pallas, 1773

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Merops persicus, breeds in the south-western and north-western Palearctic and spends the non-breeding season in Africa. It was described by Pallas in 1773 and belongs to the bee-eater family. The breeding birds use sub-tropical semi-desert with scattered trees, including acacia, while wintering birds are found in open woodland or grassland. It is a slender, richly coloured bird with blue sides to the face, a black eye stripe, a yellow and brown throat, and a black bill. The female has shorter tail streamers.

Order

Coraciiformes

Family

Meropidae — Bee-eaters

Breeding range

Palearctic: sw, nw AF

Nonbreeding range

Africa