Habitat
Subtropical and tropical montane moist forest, dry forest. Also, subtropical and tropical high altitude grassland, rural gardens, plantations. From 1,300 - 3,000 m.
Burundi, Congo [The Democratic Republic of the], Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania [United Republic of], Uganda.
Eastern African highlands: Sudan-Uganda border (Lolibat and Nangeya Mts); eastern Zaire (Lendu Plateau, and south to around Makungu region on western side of L Tanganyika); south-western Ugandan highlands south to Mahari Mt in western Tanzania; Mt Elgon on Uganda-Kenya border; and north-central Kenya (Mts Kulal, Nyiru and Marsabit, Cherangani Hills, Maralal and Meru) and western and central Kenyan highlands south to northern and eastern Tanzania (Crater Highlands, Kilimanjaro, Arusha National Park, Pare Mts, western Usambara and eastern Uluguru ranges). Reported sightings from southern Ethiopia probably all refer to M. variegatus lafresnayii.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater (Merops oreobates) [XC811016]
by James Bradley from Kakamega Forest Reserve, Kenya (call, song)
Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater (Merops oreobates) [XC237228]
by Frank Lambert from Thigiri Forest, Nairobi, Kenya (call)
Subspecies
Has been placed with other small, round-winged species lacking tail-streamers in genus Mellitophagus, comprising present species and Blue-headed Bee-eater (Merops muelleri), Black Bee-eater (Merops gularis), Little Bee-eater (Merops pusillus), Blue-breasted Bee-eater (Merops variegatus), Red-throated Bee-eater (Merops bulocki) and White-fronted Bee-eater (Merops bullockoides). Sometimes regarded as forming a superspecies with Blue-breasted Bee-eater (Merops variegatus); although some geographical overlap exists between them, they are segregated altitudinally. Subspecies lafresnayii of Blue-breasted Bee-eater (Merops variegatus) often treated as conspecific with present species, but considered more akin to small lowland forms of that species. Further research is required.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet