Olive bee-eater

The Olive Bee-Eater, also known as the Madagascar Bee-Eater, is a vibrant bird from the genus Merops. This species can be found across southern Africa, including countries such as Angola, Madagascar, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. Due to its wide distribution and common occurrence, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categorizes it as a species of "Least Concern."

The Olive Bee-Eater was first described in 1760 by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson. Later, in 1766, Carl Linnaeus assigned it the scientific name Merops superciliosus. There are two recognized subspecies: M. s. superciliosus, which inhabits East Africa, Madagascar, and the Comoro Islands, and M. s. alternans, found in West Angola and Northwest Namibia.

In terms of appearance, the Olive Bee-Eater measures approximately 23 to 26 cm in length, with an additional 7 cm contributed by its tail streamers. Adults are bronzy-green with an olive cap and striking white facial markings. Their blue rump and tail with black streamers make them particularly distinctive.

These birds favor grasslands and coastal mountain forests in regions such as East Africa, Madagascar, and coastal Angola. They are partially migratory, breeding primarily in the southern parts of their range and moving north during the dry season. They lay four eggs in a burrow nest at the onset of the southern African wet season, with chicks typically hatching in December. Unlike many of their bee-eater relatives, Olive Bee-Eaters do not practice cooperative breeding, and the young birds depend on their parents for about 19 days after fledging.