Carmine Bee-eaters (Merops nubicus & M. nubicoides) Fact Sheet: Physical Characteristics

Body measurements

Sources: del Hoyo et al. (2018), Fry et al. (2018)

Body shape and appearance

• Largest species of Bee-eater
  • Body weight up to 59 g (2 oz)
• Legs and feet
  • Black/brown
• Wings
  • 
    Long and pointed
• Tail
  • Long streamers (central tail feathers)
  • Undertail-coverts pale blue
• Rump
  • Pale blue

Facial characteristics

• Dark mask of feathers
• Eyes
  • Red
• Beak (bill)
  • Black

Adult plumage

• Overall bright pink appearance (Fry 1984)
  • Rose-carmine color rare among birds
• Crown
  • Greenish-blue
• Throat and chin color varies according to species
  • Southern Carmine Bee-eater with a vivid pink throat
  • Northern Carmine Bee-eater with a greenish-blue throat

Immature plumage

• Pink brown feathers
• Lack tail streamers

Sexes alike

Northern Carmine Bee-eater (Merops nubicus) perched.

Photographed on the road between the Sabaki River mouth and Gongoni, Kenya.

Image credit: © Steve Garvie from Flickr. Some rights reserved.

Southern Carmine Bee-eater (Merops nubicoides) in Western Zambia.

Image credit: © Ian White from Flickr. Some rights reserved.

Fry (1984)
Fry (2001)