Little Bee-eater, South Africa by David Whited

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Little Bee-eater, South Africa

David Whited

Little Bee-eater, South Africa

Digital photography

Inv: MM-1028

Little Bee-eater, South Africa. The Little Bee-eater (*Merops pusillus*) is the smallest of the African bee-eaters and one of the most visually striking birds on the continent. It features a vivid combination of bright green upperparts, a rich golden-yellow throat bordered by a bold black gorget (collar), and warm rufous-to-buff underparts that deepen toward the belly. Its tail is square-tipped with elongated central feathers, and its slender, slightly curved black bill is perfectly adapted for catching insects in mid-air. A distinctive black eye-stripe runs through its red eye, giving it a sharp, alert expression. Typically measuring around 15–17 cm in length, it is found across sub-Saharan Africa in open habitats such as grasslands, woodland edges, and along rivers, where it perches low on stems or bare branches before darting out to snatch bees, wasps, dragonflies, and other insects with remarkable agility — rubbing its prey against its perch to remove the sting before swallowing it whole.