Merops bulocki
Red-throated Bee-eater
A medium-sized, green bee-eater with a red (occasionally yellow) chin and throat and dark blue undertail-coverts, lacking the elongated tail streamers of some other bee-eaters. Most common in the upriver, eastern parts of The Gambia from around Janjanbureh inland, nesting colonially in burrows in sandbanks and quarry faces, such as the known colony at Bansang Quarry.
Identification
The red throat plus lack of tail streamers and triangular green wings with a thin blue line separate it from other regional bee-eaters such as Little Bee-eater (smaller, yellow throat with black gorget) and Northern Carmine Bee-eater (much more extensively red/pink).
Want to see the Red-throated Bee-eater?
Join Yaya on a trip to one of the sites below, or ask about an itinerary built around it — he'll help you plan the best way to find it in the field.
Tours that target this bird
A fully guided private birding tour combining the best of coastal and inland Gambia with the forests, wetlands and wildlife-rich landscapes of Eastern Senegal, including Niokolo-Koba National Park. Designed for serious birders seeking Gambian specialities, Sahelian species, woodland birds and waterbirds, at a comfortable and enjoyable pace.
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A comprehensive birding, wildlife and nature tour combining the finest habitats of The Gambia with Northern Senegal's Saloum Delta — coastal wetlands, mangroves, woodland, rice fields, savannah and riverine forest, plus a boat excursion to the Scissor-tailed Kite colony at Kousmar.
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