{"id":11841,"date":"2020-06-01T15:00:14","date_gmt":"2020-06-01T14:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"\/?p=11841"},"modified":"2023-08-11T08:53:09","modified_gmt":"2023-08-11T07:53:09","slug":"blue-cheeked-bee-eater-merops-persicus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/?p=11841","title":{"rendered":"Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Merops persicus<\/em>"},"content":{"rendered":"

>> GENERAL >>>>><\/strong><\/p>\n

– medium-sized near passerine, slightly smaller than Western Jackdaw<\/a>, slimmer and longer-winged
\n– diurnal\/nocturnal migrant
\n– very vocal in flight, often heard already when no bird is visible or can not be even seen at all
\n– resembles European Bee-eater<\/a> in most aspects, but slightly bigger (which is difficult to judge in the field)
\n– in areas with overlapping populations or migration routes (or as vagrants) best to be kept apart by call<\/p>\n

>> FLIGHT >>>>><\/strong><\/p>\n

– migrates singly or during migration peak in small flocks (10-30 birds)
\n– silhouette somewhat starling-like with triangular wings, but larger than Common Starling<\/a>
\n– typical flight pattern with erratic, rapid wing beats followed by gliding phases
\n– birds often do not move in a straight line, but with phases of spiralling and circling, often hunting insects
\n– magnificent plumage usually only recognisable when the bird has already been identified by its flight pattern and calls
\n– rarely solitary, usually in small (up to 10 individuals) to large groups (depending on area and region)<\/p>\n

>> VISUAL ID >>>>><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nBlue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops p. persicus<\/em>, AD<\/strong>
\nBIF3168, 02\/06\/2018, Narimanabad, Azerbaijan, Michael Hei\u00df<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nBlue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops p. persicus<\/em>, AD<\/strong>
\nBIF3140, 18\/09\/2016, Besh Barmag, Azerbaijan, Michael Hei\u00df
\n– same size and structure as European Bee-Eater<\/a> but with lime-green rather than sky-blue body
\n– yellow chin and dark orange throat patch diffusely merging to green breast (lacks the black line of European Bee-eater<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nBlue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops p. persicus<\/em>, AD<\/strong>
\nBIF3271, 02\/06\/2018, Besh Barmag, Azerbaijan, Michael Hei\u00df
\n– almost unicoloured blue-green upperside, bluish rump patch
\n– AD with two generations of primaries<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nBlue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops p. persicus<\/em>, AD<\/strong>
\nBIF3141, 07\/05\/2012, Besh Barmag, Azerbaijan, Michael Hei\u00df
\n– tail streamers (longest in M) on average slightly longer and thinner than in European Bee-eater<\/a>
\n– narrower black eye mask than European Bee-eater<\/a> framed white to light blue<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nBlue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops p. persicus<\/em>, AD<\/strong>
\nBIF3142, 18\/09\/2016, Besh Barmag, Azerbaijan, Michael Hei\u00df
\n– uniform rusty red underwing with fairly indistinct, evenly narrow dark trailing edge<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nBlue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops p. persicus<\/em>, 1CY<\/strong>
\nBIF3138, 21\/09\/2011, Besh Barmag, Azerbaijan, Michael Hei\u00df
\n– JUV duller overall appearance with narrow pale fringes to upperwing coverts
\n– lacks elongated central rectrices<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nBlue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops p. persicus<\/em>, 1CY<\/strong>
\nBIF3139, 19\/09\/2016, Besh Barmag, Azerbaijan, Michael Hei\u00df
\n– throat patch larger and more uniform rusty orange than in AD
\n– whitish markings edging the black eye mask narrower and more indistinct than in AD<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nBlue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops p. persicus<\/em>, AD and 1CY<\/strong>
\nBIF3269, 18\/09\/2016, Besh Barmag, Azerbaijan, Michael Hei\u00df
\n– note the different generations of primaries in the AD (out of focus)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nBlue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops p. persicus<\/em>, 1CY<\/strong>
\nBIF3268, 18\/09\/2016, Besh Barmag, Azerbaijan, Michael Hei\u00df
\n– remiges from above olive green with a rather indistinct narrow trailing edge (cf. European Bee-eater<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nBlue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops p. persicus<\/em>, AD<\/strong>
\nBIF3272, 01\/06\/2018, Besh Barmag, Azerbaijan, Michael Hei\u00df
\n– AD often appear more elongated than European Bee-eater<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nBlue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops p. persicus<\/em><\/strong>
\nBIF3171, 18\/09\/2016, Besh Barmag, Azerbaijan, Michael Hei\u00df<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nBlue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops p. persicus<\/em><\/strong>
\nBIF3170, 18\/09\/2016, Besh Barmag, Azerbaijan, Michael Hei\u00df<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nBlue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops p. persicus<\/em><\/strong>
\nBIF3172, 18\/09\/2016, Besh Barmag, Azerbaijan, Michael Hei\u00df<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nBlue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops p. persicus<\/em<\/em><\/strong>
\nBIF3173, 18\/09\/2016, Besh Barmag, Azerbaijan, Michael Hei\u00df<\/p>\n

>> SOUND ID >>>>><\/strong><\/p>\n

– most often to be heard a broadly modulated overslur<\/em>
\n– the overslur<\/em> is usually separated in the middle -> European Bee-eater<\/a>
\n– the sound quality is raspier, harsher than in European Bee-eater<\/a>
\n– also in a higher frequency-band<\/em>
\n– even (inharmonic) partials<\/em><\/p>\n\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/BIF3143-1_PFR07066_1_11_120510_BIO_bcbeater-1-FC-C_egy_sandafa_MS_D-C.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\n– overview –<\/em><\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a>
\n– detail –<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus chrysocercus<\/em>, AD, calls in flight<\/strong>
\nBIF3143, 10\/05\/2012, Sandafa Al Far, Egypt, Patrick Franke<\/p>\n\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/BIF3144-1_PFR07081_1-11_120510_BIO_bcbeater-1-FC-C_egy_sandafa_MS-MON_C-D.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\n– overview –<\/em><\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a>
\n– detail –<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus chrysocercus<\/em>, AD, calls in flight<\/strong>
\nBIF3144, 10\/05\/2012, Sandafa Al Far, Egypt, Patrick Franke<\/p>\n\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/BIF3145-1_MHE_1-11_110921_MerPer_aze_besh-barmag_5.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\n– overview –<\/em><\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a>
\n– detail –<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops p. persicus<\/em>, AD, calls in flight<\/strong>
\nBIF3145, 21\/09\/2011, Besh Barmag, Azerbaijan, Michael Hei\u00df<\/p>\n\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/BIF3146-2_MHE_1-11_110921_MerPer_MerApi_aze_besh-barmag_6.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\n– overview –<\/em><\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a>
\n– detail –<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops p. persicus<\/em>, AD, calls in flight<\/strong>
\nEuropean Bee-eater Merops apiaster<\/em>, AD<\/strong>
\nBIF3146, 21\/09\/2011, Besh Barmag, Azerbaijan, Michael Hei\u00df<\/p>\n

>> COMPARISON SPECIES >>>>><\/strong><\/p>\n

European Bee-eater<\/a>
\nGreen Bee-eater<\/p>\n

#nearpasserine<\/p>\n

#ornithology #birdmigration #birdID #birdguide #birding #birdwatching #birdsound #westernpalearctic #europe #vismig #flightcalls #middleeast #northernafrica #workinprogress<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

>> GENERAL >>>>> – medium-sized near passerine, slightly smaller than Western Jackdaw, slimmer and longer-winged – diurnal\/nocturnal migrant – very vocal in flight, often heard already when no bird is visible or can not be even seen at all – resembles European Bee-eater in most aspects, but slightly bigger (which is difficult to judge in … Continue reading Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Merops persicus<\/em><\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11842,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[371],"tags":[372],"class_list":["post-11841","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-meropidae-bee-eaters","tag-blue-cheeked-bee-eater-merops-persicus"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11841","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11841"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11841\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13856,"href":"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11841\/revisions\/13856"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/11842"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11841"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11841"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/birds-in-flight.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11841"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}