White-fronted Bee-eater

Afrikaans name: Rooikeelbyvreter

White-fronted Bee-eater

Photo © Steven Herbert

Merops bullockoides

The White-fronted Bee-eater is a beautiful bird with its red throat, black band through the eye bordered with white.

Their diet consits mainly of honey bees but they do catch other insects. They wait on a low perch to fly out and catch their prey often returning to the same perch.

The White-fronted Bee-eater breeds in colonies in sand banks. Breeding pairs have helpers.

Their preferred habitat is savanna and they can often be seen near water courses.

Roberts Birds Names by Edition

Edition	Roberts nr	Scientific name
1st	409	Coccolarynx bullockoides
2nd	409	Mellittophagus bullockoides
3rd	409	Melittophagus bullockoides
4th	409	Melittophagus bullockoides
5th	443	Merops bullockoides
6th	443	Merops bullockoides
7th	100	Merops bullockoides

Edition	Roberts nr	English name
1st	409	White-fronted Bee-eater
2nd	409	White-fronted Bee-eater
3rd	409	White-fronted Bee-eater
4th	409	White-fronted Bee-eater
5th	443	Whitefronted Bee-eater
6th	443	Whitefronted Bee-eater
7th	100	White-fronted Bee-eater

Edition	Roberts nr	Afrikaans name
1st	409	Rooikeel-byvreter
2nd	409	Rooikeel-byvreter
3rd	409	Rooikeel-byvreter
4th	409	Rooikeel-byvreter
5th	443	Rooikeelbyvreter
6th	443	Rooikeelbyvreter
7th	100	Rooikeelbyvreter

References and further reading

The Birds of South Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Dr. Austin Roberts - Published: 1949 - Page: 166

Wildlife of Southern Africa - Author: Martin Withers and David Hosking - Published: 2011 - Page: 126

Southern African Bird Names Explained - Author: Charles Clinning - Published: 1989 - Page: 85

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 6th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1993 - Page: 381

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 1993 - Page: 252

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 4th Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 2011 - Page: 260

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 4th Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1981 - Page: 293

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 5th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1985 - Page: 385

Roberts Bird Guide - Author: Hugh Chittenden - Published: 2007 - Page: 54

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 2nd edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1957 - Page: 216

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 3rd Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1975 - Page: 277

Newmans Birds of Southern Africa - 7th Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 2000 - Page: 246

Newmans Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 1984 - Page: 246

Ian Sinclairs Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair - Published: 1988 - Page: 180

Illustrated Guide to the Game Parks and Nature Reserves of SA - 2nd edn - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1991 - Page: 411

Field Guide to the Birds of Kruger National Park - Author: Ian Sinclair and Ian Whyte - Published: 1991 - Page: 126

Common Birds of the North Coast - Author: Bing Comrie - Published: 2005 - Page: 47

Everyones Guide to South African Birds - Author: John Sinclair and John Mendelsohn - Published: 1987 - Page: 61

Birds of the Transvaal - Author: Tarboton, Kemp and Kemp - Published: 1987 - Page: 147

Collins Illustrated Checklist - Birds of Southern Africa - 1st edition - Author: Ber van Perlo - Published: 1999 - Page: 44

Bird Atlas of Natal - Author: Digby Cyrus and Nigel Robson - Published: 1980 - Page: 164

Birds of Southern Africa - Kruger National Park - Author: Kenneth Newman - Published: 1985 - Page: 132

A First Guide to South African Birds - 7th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1975 - Page: 100

A First Guide to South African Birds - 6th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1959 - Page: 100

A Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: O.P.M. Prozesky - Published: 1983 - Page: 175

BirdLife South Africa

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List of South African Birds