Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Merops hirundinaeus (*)
Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Cladus: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Ordo: Coraciiformes
Familia: Meropidae
Genus: Merops
Species: Merops hirundineus
Subspecies: M. h. chrysolaimus – M. h. furcatus – M. h. heuglini – M. h. hirundineus
Name
Merops hirundineus A. A. H. Lichtenstein, 1793
References
Catalogus Rerum Naturalium Rarissimarum: 21 #213.
Vernacular names
Afrikaans: Swaelstertbyvreter
aragonés: Abellerol hengrineta
العربية: وروار سنونوي الذيل
català: Abellerol cua d'oreneta
čeština: Vlha vlaštovčí
Cymraeg: Gwenynysor fforchog
dansk: Svalehalebiæder
Deutsch: Schwalbenschwanzspint
English: Swallow-tailed Bee-eater
Esperanto: Hirundvosta abelmanĝulo
español: Abejaruco golondrina
français: Guêpier à queue d’aronde
magyar: Fecskefarkú gyurgyalag
italiano: Gruccione coda di rondine
日本語: エンビハチクイ
Nederlands: Zwaluwstaartbijeneter
norsk: Svalebieter
português: Abelharuco-andorinha
русский: Ласточкохвостая щурка
svenska: Svalstjärtad biätare
українська: Бджолоїдка вилохвоста
Tiếng Việt: Sả đuôi én ăn ong
The swallow-tailed bee-eater (Merops hirundineus) is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family, Meropidae.
Description
This species, like other bee-eaters, is a richly coloured, slender bird. Its colours and readily visible forked tail make it unmistakable. It is mainly green with a yellow throat, blue gorget and black eye stripe and beak. It can reach a length of 20–22 cm, including the long forked green or blue feathers. Sexes are alike.[2]
Distribution and habitat
It breeds in savannah woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. It is partially migratory, moving in response to rainfall patterns. This is a species which prefers somewhat more wooded country than most bee-eaters.
Behaviour
This attractive bird is readily approached. Just as the name suggests, bee-eaters predominantly eat insects, especially bees, wasps and hornets, which are caught in the air by sorties from an open perch. The swallowtail has a preference for honeybees.[2]
These bee-eaters nest as pairs or in very small colonies in sandy banks, or similar flat ground. They make a relatively long tunnel in which the 2 to 4 spherical, white eggs are laid. They also feed and roost communally.[2]
References
BirdLife International (2016). "Merops hirundineus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22683702A92996665. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22683702A92996665.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
Fry, H.; Boesman, P.F.D. (2020). Del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi; Christie, David; De Juana, Eduardo (eds.). "Swallow-tailed Bee-eater (Merops hirundineus)". Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. doi:10.2173/bow.stbeat1.01. S2CID 216191523. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
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