Bangladesh (B), Cambodia (B), China (mainland) (B), Hong Kong (China), India (B), Indonesia, Laos (B), Malaysia (B), Myanmar (B), Nepal (B), Pakistan (B), Papua New Guinea (B), Philippines (B), Singapore, Sri Lanka (B), Thailand (B), Timor-Leste (B) (NB), Vietnam (B).
Northern Pakistan, India, Nepal and south-eastern Sri Lanka east to Myanmar, south-eastern China (Yunnan to Guangdong and Hainan) and Philippines, and south to Sulawesi and Flores; also eastern New Guinea and New Britain.
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus) [XC444462]
by Oscar Campbell from Thailavaram, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India (call, song)
Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus) [XC779878]
by Saswat Mishra from Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India (flight call, song)
Nest
In an excavated burrow in sandy soils. In colonies.
Eggs (Guide)
Clutch Size: 5 - 7
Color: white
Dimensions: 23 x 20 mm
Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (Merops persicus) and Olive Bee-eater (Merops superciliosus), and the three taxa have often been regarded as conspecific. However, this species breeds sympatrically with Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (Merops persicus) in northern Pakistan and India. Perhaps more closely related to Olive Bee-eater (Merops superciliosus), with which still often treated as conspecific, but shows significant plumage differences. On grounds of coloration, birds of Sulawesi have been awarded subspecies celebensis and those of eastern New Guinea and Bismarck Archipelago subspecies salvadorii, with the nominate subspecies restricted to the Philippines and all the remainder of the range being attributed to subspecies javanicus. However, differences in hue only very slight.
No subspecies.
Similar Species
Blue-throated Bee-eater (Merops viridis) which has a conspicuous chestnut cap and blue throat.
References
See References.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet