Wildlife
White-fronted bee-eaters are found in the river banks and gullies of wooded grassland and pastures of sub-equatorial Africa. Their diet of insects, which is almost always honey bees, is caught either through rapid flight down from a low tree perch or during a slower hovering flight. These bee-eaters live in a very complex society, nesting in colonies made up of family clans where non-breeding birds become helpers for their breeding relatives.
Scientific name: Merops bullockoides
Rank: Species
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River bank burrows
The dropping river level exposes prime real estate for bee-eaters.
The dropping river level exposes prime real estate for bee-eaters.
Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder.
The White-fronted bee-eater can be found in a number of locations including: Africa. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the White-fronted bee-eater distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Least Concern
Year assessed: 2009
Classified by: IUCN 3.1
The White-fronted Bee-eater (Merops bullockoides) is a species of bee-eater widely distributed in sub-equatorial Africa.
They have a distinctive white forehead, a square tail and a bright red patch on their throat. They nest in small colonies, digging holes in cliffs or earthen banks but can usually be seen in low trees waiting for passing insects from which they hunt either by making quick hawking flights or gliding down before hovering briefly to catch insects.
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Flooded grassland
Mountain grassland
Tropical grassland
Rainforest
Carnivorous
Colonial
Co-operative breeding
Adapted to flying
Burrower
Acoustic communication
Egg layer