White-Throated Bee-Eater Distribution
- Avian Lens
- Jan 23
- 3 min read
What is in this article?
With its slender body, long curved bill, and flashes of green, blue, and chestnut, the White-throated Bee-eater is one of the most striking bee-eaters found across Africa. It is often seen perched conspicuously on exposed branches, wires, or low shrubs, from where it sallies out to catch flying insects. Agile and social, it is commonly observed in small groups, especially in open landscapes. The White-throated Bee-eater is an intra-African migrant, and as shown on the map, the majority of eBird sightings are concentrated across eastern to western Africa. There have also been recorded sightings in the Middle East.
Unlike some bee-eaters with multiple subspecies, the White-throated Bee-eater is generally treated as a single species with no widely recognised subspecies.
Common Name: White-throated Bee-eater
Scientific Name: Merops albicollis
Habitat Preferences of the White-throated Bee-eater
Savanna and open woodland:
These are the species’ primary habitats. Open areas provide clear flight paths for aerial insect hunting and suitable perches for scanning prey.
Farmland and grassland mosaics:
The White-throated Bee-eater frequently occurs in cultivated landscapes, where insect abundance is often high. Fence posts, utility wires, and isolated trees are commonly used as vantage points for hunting.
Riverbanks and sandy areas:
Like many bee-eaters, this species nests in burrows excavated in sandy or loamy soils, often along riverbanks, erosion faces, or exposed ground.
Human-modified landscapes:
Although not as urban-tolerant as some raptors, the White-throated Bee-eater is regularly seen near villages and roadsides, especially where open ground and insect-rich environments are present.
Seasonal Presence in Ghana
The White-throated Bee-eater is an intra-African migrant; it breeds in the Sahelian region along the southern edge of the Sahara and then moves south into equatorial and forested zones during the non-breeding season.
In Ghana, they are most commonly seen during the dry season and are considered a non-breeding visitor or migrant when present.
Field surveys and bird observation reports indicate that:
They are common in the dry season, particularly Late October through May.
Individuals and small groups are frequently reported from January to March, and still present in the early part of the wet season, but with numbers declining by May.
The first migrants are often observed moving south into Ghana from the Sahel as early as late October.
High presence (most sightings):
Late October → March / April
Presence declines:
From April / May
By June–July, they are generally much less common in Ghana, as they either move further into the forest belt or begin movements back toward their breeding grounds in the Sahel.
The species follows seasonal insect abundance, which increases in the dry season.
As non-breeding visitors, they do not typically nest in Ghana but use it as part of their wintering / non-breeding range south of the Sahara.
Distribution in Ghana:
This map shows records submitted by birders on eBird, and as you can see, the species has been recorded across all regions of Ghana. Most of the records originate from the southern parts of the country, a pattern that is frequently observed in eBird data. In the north, most records are from around Mole National Park, where birding activity is particularly prevalent.
This shows that some areas are visited and surveyed more than others. So when a region has fewer records, it does not mean the bird is not there; it may simply mean fewer people are recording and submitting observations from that area. This is only in reference to Ghana.
Source of Data: https://ebird.org/data/download
