Blue-bearded Bee-eater vs Blue-throated Bee-eater

In short

The Blue-bearded Bee-eater and Blue-throated Bee-eater can be distinguished by their size and throat coloration. The Blue-bearded Bee-eater is larger with a distinctive blue 'beard' on its throat, while the Blue-throated Bee-eater is smaller and has a blue throat without the 'beard'.

Identification tips

1. Size: Look for the larger size of the Blue-bearded Bee-eater. 2. Throat coloration: Check for the distinctive blue 'beard' on the Blue-bearded Bee-eater. 3. Habitat: Consider the habitat; forested areas suggest Blue-bearded, while open woodlands suggest Blue-throated. 4. Behavior: Observe typical bee-eater behaviors but rely more on size and throat coloration for identification.

Size

The Blue-bearded Bee-eater is noticeably larger than the Blue-throated Bee-eater.

Plumage

The Blue-bearded Bee-eater has a prominent blue 'beard' on its throat, whereas the Blue-throated Bee-eater has a blue throat but lacks the 'beard'. Both species have green upperparts, but the Blue-bearded Bee-eater's blue is more concentrated around the throat.

Behaviour

Both species exhibit similar bee-eater behaviors, such as sallying from perches to catch insects in flight.

Habitat

The Blue-bearded Bee-eater is often found in forested areas, while the Blue-throated Bee-eater is more commonly seen in open woodlands and near water bodies.

Voice

Vocalizations are not the most reliable for distinguishing these species, as both have similar calls typical of bee-eaters.