Blue-cheeked bee-eater

Blue-cheeked bee-eater
M. p. persicus, Namibia
M. p. chrysocercus, Senegal
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Meropidae
Genus: Merops
Species:
M. persicus
Binomial name
Merops persicus
Pallas, 1773

The blue-cheeked bee-eater (Merops persicus) is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family, Meropidae. The genus name Merops is Ancient Greek for "bee-eater", and persicus is Latin for "Persian".[2]

It breeds in Northern Africa, and the Middle East from eastern Turkey to Kazakhstan and India. It is generally strongly migratory, wintering in tropical Africa, although some populations breed and live year-round in the Sahel.[3] This species occurs as a rare vagrant north of its breeding range, with most vagrants occurring in Italy and Greece. Recently (2024) also recorded in Sri Lanka for the first time.

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2019) [amended version of 2016 assessment]. "Merops persicus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T22683740A155514718. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22683740A155514718.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. ^ Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 251, 299. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
  3. ^ Fry, Hilary (2001). "Family Meropidae (Bee-eaters)". In del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 6, Mousebirds to Hornbills. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. p. 337. ISBN 978-84-87334-30-6.