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Little Bee-eater

Merops pusillus Müller, PLS 1776

The little bee-eater is a near passerine bird species in the bee-eater family, Meropidae. They are residents in much of Sub-Saharan Africa. They should not be confused with the little green bee-eater. Migration is limited to seasonal movements depending on rainfall patterns. Source: Wikipedia




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Classification
Order:
  Coraciiformes
Family:
  Meropidae
Genus:
   Merops
Scientific:
  Merops pusillus


Original description

Citation:
  Müller, PLS 1776

Reference:
   Linné vollst. Natursyst. Suppl. Reg. Bd.

Protonym:
  Merops pusillus

Type locality:
  Senegal.

Link:
  https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/218386#page/115/mode/1up


Avibase identifiers

Avibase ID:
  C0A68CA01963299C

Avibase ID:
  avibase-C0A68CA0

Short link:
  https://avibase.ca/C0A68CA0


Taxonomic Serial Number:
  TSN: 554647

Geographic range:

  • Merops pusillus: widespread sub-Saharan distribution in lowland and foothill wooded grassland, lakeshore, riverbanks, grassy clearings in forest, and brushy sand dunes, from Senegambia eastward to Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia, and southward to northern Namibia, eastern Botswana, and eastern South Africa; some are nomadic post-breeding
  • Merops pusillus pusillus: savannas from Senegambia to Cameroon, Sudan, and northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Merops pusillus ocularis: northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (east of the range of pusillus) northeast to the Red Sea coast of Sudan and northern Eritrea and Ethiopia
  • Merops pusillus cyanostictus: eastern Ethiopia to Somalia and eastern Kenya
  • Merops pusillus meridionalis: Congo basin to eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and western Kenya southward to eastern South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal)
  • Merops pusillus argutus: southwestern Angola to southwestern Zambia and Botswana
  • Show more...
English:
Little Bee-eater
Afrikaans:
Kleinbyvreter
Azerbaijani:
Kiçik arıqapan
Bulgarian:
Малък пчелояд
Bengali:
হছাট ঳ুিআমচাযা
Catalan:
Abellerol petit
Czech:
vlha malá
Danish:
Dværgbiæder
German:
Zwergspint
Greek:
Μικρoμελισσοφάγος
Esperanto:
nana abelmanĝulo
Spanish:
Abejaruco Chico
Spanish (Spain):
Abejaruco Chico
Estonian:
pisi-mesilasenäpp
Finnish:
kääpiömehiläissyöjä
French:
Guêpier nain
Croatian:
mala pčelarica
Hungarian:
törpegyurgyalag
Icelandic:
Stúfsvelgur
Italian:
Gruccione minore
Japanese (romaji):
himehachikui
Japanese:
ヒメハチクイ
Lithuanian:
nykštukinis bitininkas
Latvian:
Mazais bišķērājs
Dutch:
Dwergbijeneter
Norwegian Nynorsk:
Dvergbietar
Norwegian:
Dvergbieter
Polish:
żołna mała
Portuguese:
abelharuco-dourado
Portuguese (Portugal):
abelharuco-pequeno
Romanian:
Prigorie mică
Russian:
Карликовая щурка
Slovak:
včelárik malý
Slovenian:
mali čebelar
Serbian:
Mala pčelarica
Swedish:
dvärgbiätare
Turkish:
Küçük Arıkuşu
Ukrainian:
Бджолоїдка карликова
Chinese:
小蜂虎
Chinese (Traditional):
小蜂虎


Authorities recognizing this taxonomic concept:

African Bird Club Checklist 2004:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
African Bird Club Checklist August 2005:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
African Bird Club Checklist March 2007:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
African Bird Club Checklist January 2008:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
African Bird Club Checklist May 2009:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
African Bird Club Checklist March 2010:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts (current):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2023 (May 2023):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2024 (Oct 2024):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2025 (Nov 2025):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 01 (August 2013):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 02 (May 2014):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 03 (March 2015):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 04 (Aug 2016):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 05 (Jan 2017):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 06 (Feb 2018):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 07 (Feb 2020):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 08 (Feb 2021):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Avilist 2025:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 00:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 01:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 02:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 03:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 04:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 05 (Jun 2012):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 05.1 (Oct 2012):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 06 (Nov 2013):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 06.1 (Feb 2014):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 07 (Jul 2014):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 08 (Oct 2015):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 09 (Dec 2016):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 09.1 (Jun 2017):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v2 (Dec 2017):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v3 (Nov 2018):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v4 (Dec 2019):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v5 (Dec 2020):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v6 (Dec 2021):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v6b (Jul 2022):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v7 (Dec 2022):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v8 (Dec 2023):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v9 (Oct 2024):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v10 (Oct 2025):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Commission internationale pour les noms français des oiseaux (1993, révision 2009):
Guêpier nain ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Commission internationale pour les noms français des oiseaux (1993):
Guêpier nain ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements 1st edition:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements, version 2021:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements, version 2022:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements, version 2023:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements, version 2024:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements, version 2025:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements 3rd edition:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements 4th edition:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements 5th edition (as published):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2000 revisions):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2001 revisions):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2002 revisions):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2003 revisions):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2004 revisions):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2005 revisions):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements 6th edition:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements 6th edition (incl. 2007 revisions):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements 6th edition (incl. 2008 revisions):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements 6th edition (incl. 2009 revisions):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements 6th edition (version 6.5 incl. 2010 revisions):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements 6th edition (version 6.6 incl. 2011 revisions):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements 6th edition (version 6.7 incl. 2012 revisions):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements 6th edition (version 6.8 incl. 2013 revisions):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements 6th edition (version 6.9 incl. 2014 revisions):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements, version 2015:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements, version 2016:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements, version 2017:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements, version 2018:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Clements, version 2019:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
eBird version 1.50:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
eBird version 1.52:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
eBird version 1.53:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
eBird version 1.54:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
eBird version 1.55:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
eBird version 2015:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
eBird version 2016:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
eBird version 2017:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
eBird version 2018:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
eBird version 2019:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
eBird version 2021:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
eBird version 2022:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
eBird version 2023:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
eBird version 2024:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
eBird version 2025:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 2nd edition:
Little Bee Eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 2nd edition (incl. ? suppl):
Little Bee Eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (as published):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 1.2):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 2.1):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 3.1):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 4):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 5):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 6):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 7):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 8):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 4th edition (vol. 1-2):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 4th edition (incl. corrigenda vol.1-2):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Handbook of the Birds of the World (vol 1-16):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (31/01/2015):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (03/07/2017):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Dec 2017):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Dec 2018):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.0:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.1:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.5:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.6:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.7:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.0:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.1:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.2:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.3:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.4:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.5:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.6:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.7:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.8:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.9:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.10:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.11:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.1:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.2:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.3:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.4:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.5:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.1:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.2:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.3:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.4:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.1:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.2:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.3:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.4:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.1:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.2:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.3:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.4:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.1:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.2:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.3:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 8.1:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 8.2:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 9.1:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 9.2:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 10.1:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 10.2:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 11.1:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 11.2:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 12.1:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 12.2:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 13.1:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 13.2:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 14.1:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 14.2:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 15.1:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Morony, Bock and Farrand:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Peters' Check-list of the Birds:
Melittophagus pusillus [version 1]
Peters' Check-list of the Birds (original):
Melittophagus pusillus [version 1]
Peters' Check-list of the Birds (2nd edition):
Melittophagus pusillus [version 1]
Sibley and Monroe (1993):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Sibley and Monroe (1993, including corrections up to 1998):
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Sibley and Monroe, Birds of the World Version 2.0:
Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus) [version 1]
Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource:
Merops pusillus [version 1]
Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource:
Merops pusillus [version 1]

Taxonomic status:

Species status: full species

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Related taxa

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Other synonyms

See also the taxonomic synonyms table.


Afrikaans: Kleinbyvreter
Azerbaijani: Kiçik arıqapan
Belarusian: Карлікавая шчурка
Bulgarian: Малък пчелояд
Bengali: হছাট ঳ুিআমচাযা
Bengali (transliteration): chōṭa su'icōrā*
Breton: Gwespetaer bihan
Catalan: Abellerol petit
Czech: Vlha malá
Welsh: Gwenynysor bach
Danish: Dværgbiæder
German: Zwergspint, Zwergspiunt
Greek: Μικρoμελισσοφάγος
English: Little Bee Eater, Little Bee-eater
English (Avilist): Little Bee-eater
English, HBW: Little Bee-eater
English (IOC): Little Bee-eater
English (Kenya): Little Bee-eater
English (United States): Little Bee-eater
Esperanto: Malgranda abelmanĝulo, nana abelmanĝulo
Spanish: Abejaruco Chico
Spanish (Spain): Abejaruco Chico
Spanish (HBW): Little Bee-eater
Estonian: pisi-mesilasenäpp
Finnish: Kääpiömehiläissyöjä
French: Guêpier nain
French (Guyane): Guêpier nain
Frisian: Dwerchbijefretter
Irish: Beachaire beag
Galician: Abellaruco pequeno
Croatian: mala pčelarica
Hungarian: törpegyurgyalag
Icelandic: Stúfsvelgur
Italian: Gruccione minore, Gruccione pettocannella minore
Japanese (romaji): himehachikui
Japanese: ヒメハチクイ
Scientific: Melittophagus pusillus, Merops pusillus, Merops pusillus pusillus
Lithuanian: Mažasis bitininkas, nykštukinis bitininkas
Latvian: Mazais bišķērājs
Macedonian: Мала пчеларка
Dutch: Dwergbijeneter
Norwegian Nynorsk: Dvergbietar
Norwegian: Dvergbieter
Polish: zolna mala, żołna mała
Portuguese: Abelharuco pequeno, Abelharuco-dourado, Abelharuco-pequeno
Portuguese (Angola): Abelharuco-dourado
Portuguese (Portugal): Abelharuco-dourado, abelharuco-pequeno
Rhaeto-Romance: Maglia-avieuls pitschen
Romanian: Prigorie mică
Russian: Карликовая щурка, Крошечная щурка
Northern Sami: Deaggauvloborri
Slovak: vcelárik malý, včelárik malý, Včelárik trpasličí
Slovenian: mali čebelar
Serbian: Mala pčelarica
Swedish: Dvärgbiätare
Swahili: Kerem Mdogo
Tswana: Morôkapula
Turkish: Küçük Arıkuşu
Tsonga: Tinziwolana
Tatar: кәрлә корташар
Ukrainian: Бджолоїдка карликова
Chinese: 小蜂虎
Chinese (Traditional): 小蜂虎
Zulu: iNkotha

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