The members of this species exhibit a high degree of similarity in appearance, with males and females being almost indistinguishable, except for occasional variations in eye color.
The largest most richly colored member of their species also makes this bird the most strikingly beautiful.
Meet the Northern carmine bee-eater
Merops nubicus, sometimes known as M. n. nubicus, is a bee-eating bird native to Africa and a member of the Meropidae family. This bird, which is distinguished by its vibrantly colored plumage, is mostly carmine in hue, with a green-blue head, throat, and characteristic black mask. Their bodies are typically slim, and they have crimson eyes and a sharp black beak. They can perch on tall surfaces because to their sharp claws.
Photo Courtesy of Bernard DUPONT / CC BY-SA 2.0
Both males and females of this species look very similar, though in some cases their eyes may be a different color.
In others, the tail-streamers of the male are slightly longer than the females.
Central and northern Africa are home to the Northern carmine bee-eater, with countries like the Central African Republic, Benin, and Cameroon being part of its native range.
Not surprisingly bees form a large part of the Northern carmine bee-eater’s diet, but so do other flying insects such as ants, grasshoppers, and locusts. These insects are captured usually by the birds perching on a branch, keeping a lookout for a passing insect and then catching it on the wing.
These birds build horizontal nesting tunnels that can be up to eight feet long in their enormous colonies, which are typically found on cliffs or close to riverbanks. Per clutch, the female can lay up to five eggs. The responsibility for incubation and chick care will be shared by both parents. The chicks are nearly completely grown after 21–32 days, and the parents will continue to feed them until they are old enough to go hunting on their own.
Due to this bird’s wide range, it is not considered to be under any immediate threat of a decline in population.
