Blue-moustached Bee-eater vs Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater

Merops mentalis compared with Merops oreobates

Key Differences

• Blue-moustached Bee-eater is Near Threatened while Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blue-moustached Bee-eater	Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Aves (Birds)	Aves (Birds)
Order same	Coraciiformes (Coraciiformes)	Coraciiformes (Coraciiformes)
Family same	Meropidae	Meropidae
Genus same	Merops	Merops
Species	Merops mentalis	Merops oreobates

Evolutionary Relationship

Blue-moustached Bee-eater and Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Merops.

Conservation Status

Blue-moustached Bee-eater

NT — Near Threatened

Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Blue-moustached Bee-eater	Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Blue-moustached Bee-eater

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Found in Norway. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Found in Norway.

Blue-moustached Bee-eater

The Blue Moustached Bee Eater (Merops mentalis) is a species in the genus Merops. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater

The cinnamon-chested bee-eater (Merops oreobates) is a colorful, aerial insectivore in the family Meropidae, endemic to the highlands of East Africa. It is found in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and eastern DRC, typically at elevations between 1,500 and 3,000 meters in montane forest edge, woodland clearings, and cultivated areas with tall trees. Like all bee-eaters, it is a masterful aerial hunter, catching bees, wasps, and other flying insects in fast pursuit flights from open perches. The plumage is brilliant—green upperparts, a bright blue rump and undertail, a distinctive cinnamon-rufous chest, and a black gorget separating the throat from the breast. The species is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with stable populations across the East African highlands. It often nests colonially, digging burrows into earthen banks or flat ground. The cinnamon-chested bee-eater is absent from Europe; Norwegian database records are data entry errors. This bee-eater is a popular species with birdwatchers visiting the East African highlands, often observed conspicuously from perches at forest edges. Conservation of highland forest and woodland habitats, and the retention of earthen banks for nesting, are beneficial for this species.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway