Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (Juvenile)
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (Juvenile)
Recordings 

Observations, notes, photos

Almost all migratory birds with colour are targets for the shooters strewn all over Kuwait during Autumn and Spring migration

Mike Pope
03/09/2013 - 15:25

This species is frequently shot by shooters in Kuwait. We encountered a dead shot bird at Subiya Farm near Sabah Al Ahmad Reserve in September 2012.

Stamatis Zogaris
02/09/2013 - 20:55
Scientific Name 
Merops persicus
Arabic Name 
القارية زرقاء الخدين
Kuwaiti name 
خضيري
Family 
Bee-eaters
Width 
49.0 cm
Length 
31.0 cm
Least Concern

In Kuwait

Migrant
Summer
Frequent
Has bred

Information

Abundant passage migrant; rare summer visitor, has bred in Kuwait. Widespread and often in flocks during spring and autumn migration; locally small breeding colonies have been established. Very beneficial species to farmers because it will feed on locusts and other insects.
Where in Kuwait 
Across its range, this species can be found in wetland, desert, coastal and artificial habitats and literally anywhere in Kuwait during migration when it is often heard calling as it passes by overhead or comes in to roost for the night.
In the world 
It has an extremely large range with a stable population. Its breeding range of this species extends across parts of northern Africa and southern Asia, from Morocco to eastern Kazakhstan. It migrates to southern Africa in the winter, when it can be found from Senegal south to Nigeria in the west, and from Sudan south to South Africa in the east. it is named for the blue stripes above and below the eyes. It is a gregarious bird that nests in colonies, and digs a long tunnel in sandy soil that leads to a nesting chamber.
Local threats 
Indiscriminate shooting during passage migration