Swallow-tailed Bee-eater

Merops hirundineus Lichtenstein, AAH, 1793

Meropidae — Bee-eaters

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Merops hirundineus, is a bee-eater that breeds widely across Africa, especially in sub-Saharan savannah woodland. It is a slender bird with a forked tail, and its appearance is marked by vivid colouring. The sexes look the same. It is more at home in rather more wooded country than most bee-eaters. Its breeding range is broad across the continent, and it is known for the long, clearly split tail that gives the species its name.

Order
Coraciiformes
Family
Meropidae — Bee-eaters
Breeding range
Africa: widespread
Swallow-tailed Bee-eater
© Pobpob11 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Tours where you can spot this bird

8 tours in The Gambia 5, Uganda 1, Senegal 1, Namibia 1

15-Day Uganda Birding Tour 2027
15-Day Uganda Birding Tour 2027
Uganda / Entebbe Group tour 15 days

A 15-day Uganda birding circuit from Entebbe through Mabamba Swamp, Lake Mburo, Mgahinga, Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth, Kibale and Semliki for Sh...

From USD 4,685
14-Day Senegal and Gambia Combined Birdwatching Trip with Turaco Birding
14-Day Senegal and Gambia Combined Birdwatching Trip with Turaco Birding
The Gambia / Senegal and The Gambia Private tour 14 days

A combined 14-day Senegambia birdwatching trip linking Turaco Birding routes in The Gambia and Senegal....

10-Day Senegal Birdwatching Trip with Turaco Birding
10-Day Senegal Birdwatching Trip with Turaco Birding
Senegal / Senegal Private tour 10 days

An all-inclusive 10-day Senegal birdwatching trip operated by Turaco Birding from its Senegambia birding program....

10-Day Birdwatching Trip in The Gambia with Turaco Birding
10-Day Birdwatching Trip in The Gambia with Turaco Birding
The Gambia / The Gambia Private tour 10 days

An all-inclusive 10-day Turaco Birding trip through The Gambia for coastal, wetland, river and up-country birding....

Full-Day Gambia Birdwatching Trips with Turaco Birding
Full-Day Gambia Birdwatching Trips with Turaco Birding
The Gambia / Greater Banjul Coast Private tour 11h

A full-day Turaco Birding option from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM combining coastal forests, wetlands, creeks and woodland sites....

Half-Day Coastal Birdwatching Trips with Turaco Birding
Half-Day Coastal Birdwatching Trips with Turaco Birding
The Gambia / Greater Banjul Coast Private tour 5.5h

A half-day private birdwatching option covering Abuko, Farasutu, Brufut Woods, Pirang/Bonto, Kartong, Kotu Creek or Marakissa....

Tendaba and Basse 4-Day Birding Excursion with Turaco Birding
Tendaba and Basse 4-Day Birding Excursion with Turaco Birding
The Gambia / Tendaba and Basse Private tour 4 days

A four-day Turaco Birding route from the coast toward Tendaba and Basse for river, woodland and up-country birding....

Southern Africa Birding Expedition: Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls with Birding Ecotours
Southern Africa Birding Expedition: Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls with Birding Ecotours
Namibia / Walvis Bay Group tour 18 days

An 18-day birding expedition from Namibia's Atlantic coast through Etosha and the Okavango Panhandle to Victoria Falls, combining desert nea...

From USD 10,206