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Species › Birds

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Order
Coraciiformes
Family
Meropidae
Presence in the Strait
Seasonal
Abundance
common
Protection in Spain
Special protection (List)
In Spanish
Abejaruco europeo

33% of its open observations in the area are from September.

Photograph: Sem Khatov, CC BY, vía iNaturalist

Length
27–29 cm
Wingspan
44–49 cm
Weight
60 g
0204060LENGTH27–29 cmWINGSPAN44–49 cmcentimetres

Presence in the Strait

Common summer visitor to open areas, more abundant during migration (>35,000).

Identification

Unmistakable due to its rich and gaudy plumage. Long tail with protruding central tail feathers; long, sharp bill and short legs. Juvenile birds display a more greenish colour. Light and acrobatic flying. Often perch on power lines.

Movements

Peaks in 1st hf. April and 1st hf. September. Alcedinidae Martín Pescador Común Meropidae Abejaruco Europeo

Bioestrecho editorial text. Last revised: 8 September 2026.

Gallery

Photographs from iNaturalist observations with the licence checked file by file. Those marked “Strait” were taken within the area; place and date are those of each observation.