Cinnamon-chested bee-eater
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Subclass
Infraclass
Superorder
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Merops oreobates

The cinnamon-chested bee-eater (Merops oreobates ) is a species of bird in the family Meropidae. They are found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Appearance

The sexes are alike in the cinnamon-chested bee-eater. They have bright green heads, upper parts, and tails; their chins and throats are yellow and outlined in black, with a white extension to the side; their breasts are cinnamon-brown, darkening towards the belly. When perched, their 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 their larger size, darker colouring, white cheek patches, and the upland habitat where they are found.

Habits and Lifestyle

This bird lives in upland regions, usually between 1,800 and 2,300 metres (5,900 and 7,500 ft) and can be found associated with wooded hillsides and forest edges, clearings, plantations, and gardens. Their diet consists mainly of honeybees although they also eat moths, butterflies, dragonflies, beetles, and other flying insects. They seem to be an adaptable species and able to withstand loss of their forest habitat. They measure 22 centimetres (8.7 in) in length and weigh 17–38 grams (0.60–1.34 oz).

Lifestyle
Seasonal behavior
Bird's call

Diet and Nutrition

Population

Population number

The cinnamon-chested bee-eater has a very wide range and although the population size has not been quantified, they are thought to be large, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed their conservation status as being of "least concern".

References

1. Cinnamon-chested bee-eater Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnamon-chested_bee-eater
2. Cinnamon-chested bee-eater on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22683697/92996442
3. Xeno-canto bird call - https://xeno-canto.org/364368

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