Common name: Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Scientific name: Merops persicus
Family: Meropidae

Size:
Body length: 28–31 cm
Wingspan: 45–50 cm
Weight: 45–60 g

Identification:
A slender, brightly colored bird with predominantly green plumage, contrasting blue cheeks, and a narrow black eye-stripe running through the face. The throat is yellowish to chestnut, bordered by a thin black line. It has long, pointed wings and an elegant, slightly decurved black bill adapted for catching insects. The central tail feathers are elongated, forming distinctive streamers, especially in adults. In flight, it appears graceful and buoyant, often gliding and swooping while hunting.

Habitat:
Open landscapes including wetlands, coastal areas, desert edges, agricultural lands, and sandy plains. Often associated with areas that provide suitable nesting sites such as sandy banks or soft soil.

Status in the UAE:
Common passage migrant and declining breeding visitor. Regularly observed during migration periods, with occasional breeding recorded in remote or undisturbed areas.

Diet:
Carnivorous — feeds mainly on flying insects, especially bees, wasps, dragonflies, and other aerial prey. Often catches insects in flight and returns to a perch to consume them.

Behavior:
Highly social and often seen in flocks, especially during migration. Known for aerial agility and precision when catching prey. Nests colonially by digging long tunnels in sandy or soft substrates. Both sexes share responsibilities in nesting and chick rearing. Frequently returns to the same nesting sites annually.

Conservation status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)