Olive Bee-eater (Merops superciliosus) [XC339283]
by Peter Boesman from Kasanka National Park, Northern Province, Zambia (call)
Olive Bee-eater (Merops superciliosus) [XC762808]
by Charles Hesse from Ankarafantsika NP, Mahajanga, Madagascar (call)
Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (Merops persicus) and Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus), and the three taxa have often been regarded as conspecific. Perhaps more closely related to Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus), with which still frequently treated as conspecific, but differs significantly in some plumage characters. Shows striking plumage differences from Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (Merops persicus).
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
superciliosus Linnaeus, 1766 - Eastern Ethiopia, Somalia and eastern Kenya to north-eastern Tanzania and southern Mozambique. Also Comoro Is and Madagascar; sporadically in north-western Zimbabwe.
alternans Clancey, 1971 - Western Angola and north-western Namibia.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet