View source for White-throated Bee-eater

{{Stub}}
{{Animalbox
|name = White-throated Bee-eater
|image = File:154915877.igmBBMKr.upload08022014_V1F8854.jpg|thumb
|imagewidth = 220px
|location = southern edge of the [[wikipedia:Sahara|Sahara]], [[wikipedia:Africa|Africa]].
|phylum = [[Chordata]]
|class = [[Aves]]
|order = [[Coraciiformes]]
|family = [[Meropidae]]
|genus = [[Merops]]
|species = '''Merops albicollis'''
|statusimage = LC
|status = Least Concern}}
The '''White-throated bee-eater''' ('''Merops albicollis'''), is a [[bee-eater]] in the [[Meropidae]] family. It breeds in semi-desert along the southern edge of the [[wikipedia:Sahara|Sahara]], [[wikipedia:Africa|Africa]]. The white-throated bee-eater is [[Bird migration|migratory]], wintering in a completely different habitat in the equatorial rainforests of Africa from southern [[wikipedia:Senegal|Senegal]] to [[wikipedia:Uganda|Uganda]].

This species, like other bee-eaters, is a richly-coloured, slender bird. It is predominantly green, but its face and throat are white with a black crown, eye stripe, and neckband. The underparts are pale green shading to blue on the breast. The eye is red and the beak is black.

The white-throated bee-eater can reach a length of 19–21 cm, excluding the two very elongated central tail feathers, which can exceed an additional length of 12 cm. They weigh between 20 and 28 grams. Sexes are alike. The call is similar to [[European Bee-eater|European bee-eater]].

The white-throated bee-eater is a bird which breeds in dry sandy open country, such thorn scrub and near-desert. These abundant bee-eaters are gregarious, nesting [[Bird colony|colonially]] in sandy banks or open flat areas. They make a relatively long 1–2 m tunnel in which the 6 to 7 spherical white eggs are laid. Both the male and the female take care of the eggs, but up to five helpers also assist with caring for the young.

White-throated bee-eaters also feed and roost communally. As the name suggests, bee-eaters predominantly eat [[insect]]s, especially [[bee]]s, [[wasp]]s and [[hornet]]s, which are caught in the air by sorties from an open perch. However, this species probably takes mainly flying [[ant]]s and [[beetle]]s.

Widespread and common throughout its large range, the white-throated bee-eater is evaluated as [[Least Concern]] on the [[IUCN Red List|IUCN Red List of Threatened Species]].
[[Category:Animalia]]
[[Category:Coraciiformes]]
[[Category:Meropidae]]
[[Category:Aves]]
[[Category:Animals Described in 1817]]
[[Category:Least Concern Species]]
[[Category:Birds of Mauritania]]
[[Category:Birds of Senegal]]
[[Category:Birds of Eritrea]]
[[Category:Birds of Kenya]]
[[Category:Birds of West Africa]]
[[Category:Chordata]]
[[Category:Merops]]