Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Merops philippinus
Bee-eaters (Meropidae) · Coraciiformes (Coraciiformes)
Play a quiz with Blue-tailed Bee-eater and similar species
View all photos, video and sound
Review needed
Birdr is a community-driven project, and many photos still need a human check. If you know this bird, you can help by reviewing its images.
Often mixed up with
In quizzes, players most often confuse Blue-tailed Bee-eater with these birds— either this species was picked by mistake, or the other way around.
| Species | Mix-ups |
|---|---|
| Blue-throated Bee-eater Merops viridis | 4 |
| Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris | 1 |
| Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus | 1 |
| Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus | 1 |
| Chestnut-headed Bee-eater Merops leschenaulti | 1 |
Family
The bee-eaters are a group of birds in the family Meropidae, containing three genera and thirty-one species. Most species are found in Africa and Asia, with a few in southern Europe, Australia, and New Guinea. They are characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies, and usually elongated central tail feathers.
Order
The Coraciiformes are a group of usually colourful birds including the kingfishers, the bee-eaters, the rollers, the motmots, and the todies. They generally have syndactyly, with three forward-pointing toes (and toes 3 & 4 fused at their base), though in many kingfishers one of these is missing. In the past, Coraciiformes encompassed all anisodactyl (including syndactyl) members of the Cavitaves.