Cinnamon-chested bee-eater
| Cinnamon-chested bee-eater | |
|---|---|
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| Kakamega Forest, Kenya | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Coraciiformes |
| Family: | Meropidae |
| Genus: | Merops |
| Species: | M. oreobates |
| Binomial name | |
| Merops oreobates (Sharpe, 1892) | |
The cinnamon-chested bee-eater (Merops oreobates) is a species of bird in the Meropidae family. It is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.[1]
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Description
The sexes are alike in the cinnamon-chested bee-eater. It has the head, upper parts and tail bright green, the chin and throat are yellow and outlined in black, with a white extension to the side, while the breast is cinnamon-brown, darkening towards the belly. When perched, the stance is upright with the tail pointing downward. The tail is blackish with an orange base and white tip when seen from the front, while from the back it is mainly green, with black edges visible when it is flared. This bird can be distinguished from the somewhat similar little bee-eater by its larger size, darker colouring, white cheek patches and the upland habitat where it is found.[2]
Ecology
This bird occurs in upland regions, usually between 1,800 and 2,300 m (5,900 and 7,500 ft) and can be found associated with wooded hillsides and forest edges, clearings, plantations and gardens. Its diet consists mainly of honeybees although it also eats moths, butterflies, dragonflies, beetles and other flying insects. It seems to be an adaptable species and able to withstand loss of its forest habitat.[2] It measures 22 cm (8.7 in) in length and weighs 17–38 g (0.60–1.34 oz).[3]
Status
The cinnamon-chested bee-eater has a very wide range and although the population size has not been quantified, it is thought to be large, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".[1]
References
- 1 2 3 BirdLife International (2012). "Merops oreobates". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- 1 2 Fry, C. Hilary; Fry, Kathie (2010). Kingfishers, Bee-eaters and Rollers. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 257. ISBN 978-1-4081-3525-9.
- ↑ CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses by John B. Dunning Jr. (Editor). CRC Press (1992), ISBN 978-0-8493-4258-5.