Family Bee-eaters (Meropidae)
Least Concern
Rosy Bee-eater (Merops malimbicus)
Taxonomy
French: Guêpier gris-rose German: Rosenspint Spanish: Abejaruco de Malimba
Taxonomy:
Merops malimbicus
Shaw
, 1806,Malimbe, Cabinda, Angola
.Distribution:
Nigeria S to Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo and Cabinda (N Angola), and W & WC DRCongo; regular migrant W to W Ghana.
Descriptive notes
22–25 cm (with streamers, up to 5 cm more), c. 45 g. A long-winged bee-eater, with unmistakable plumage coloration. Adult slate-grey above, vivid pink below; black mask... read more
Voice
Not unlike some vocalizations of M. apiaster or M. superciliosus, a hoarse... read more
Habitat
Inhabits airspace above rainforest and mesic savanna woodland, foraging around trees emergent from... read more
Food and feeding
Small flying ants greatly predominate in diet (70% in Nigerian study); however, species also consumes large numbers of honeybees (Apis... read more
Breeding
Lays in May–Jun on R Niger and probably in Feb–Apr on lower R Congo; on coast of Cabinda (N Angola) breeds soon after arrival... read more
Movements
Present at breeding sites on R Niger and R Benue in Nigeria in Apr–Jun or May–Jul, and... read more
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened. May merit reclassification as threatened species. Locally common in parts of Ghana, Nigeria, Gabon, Congo and Zaire, but absent or sporadic in other... read more
Recent molecular study suggested that closest relatives of present species are M. albicollis and M. nubicus#R. Monotypic.