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.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus) [XC741388]
by Geoff Carey from San Tin Fishponds, New Territories, Hong Kong, China (call)
Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus) [XC150622]
by Mike Nelson from Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Singapore (call, flight call)
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