Carmine Bee Eaters

scientific name

merops nubicus

size/weight/height

Body Length: 14-15 in.
Weight: 1.5-2 oz.
Wingspan: 11-12.5 in.

adaptations/coloration

Color: monomorphic (both sexes same color) - head & throat greenish blue, upper parts & belly bright carmine red, rump pale cobalt blue, wings & tail deep carmine red - central tail feathers elongated
Bill: black
Legs & Feet: frosted gray
Tail: streamers measure up to 5 in.
Beak: long, curved
Voice: metallic double call-note "took, took"

behavior

gregarious; - roosts in flocks - use sheep and goats as animated perch, sometime also the Kori Bustard - strongly attracted to bush fires preying on fleeing insects - breaks off stinger of bees, wasps and hornets by rubbing against perch, expresses venom before eating
Nest: burrow excavated in earthen or sandy bank begun by flying head first in to dirt to make a dent - tunnels to nest 3 to 6 ft. & ~2.5 across - chamber at end - breeds in colonies - nest in colonies of 100-1000 pairs, sometimes up to 10,000 pairs - Density of nest can be up to 60 per sq. meter of cliff face

reproduction/lifespan

Eggs laid Feb &June
Clutch: 2 - 3 eggs at lower altitude, 3 - 5 at higher elevations
Incubation: ~20 days, fledge in 20-25 days

diet

Wild: insectivorous, mainly flying insects, also grasshoppers, locusts, rarely small fish - they regurgitate firm pellets of insect sclerites several times a day - more than 60% of diet is stinging insects, more than 25% honeybees (considered a pest at apiaries) - can distinguish between venomless drones and stinging workers to choose latter - can devenom the honeybee while in flight
Zoo: mealworms, wax worms, fly larvae and bees

habitat/range

Near rivers in coastal bush, savanna and bush county in eastern and southern Africa

status

common

note

There are two sub-species. We are unsure of our specific sub-species because of unclear records on country of origin.

oregon zoo exhibit

Africa Savanna