Rufous-crowned bee-eater

Rufous-crowned bee-eater
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Coraciiformes
Family:	Meropidae
Genus:	Merops
Species:	M. americanus
Binomial name
Merops americanus Müller, 1776
Synonyms
Merops viridis americanus

The rufous-crowned bee-eater (Merops americanus) is a species of bird in the family Meropidae. It is endemic to the Philippines, where it is widely distributed. Despite its scientific name, it is not found in the New World, and its name is likely erroneous.^[1]

It was previously considered a subspecies of the blue-throated bee-eater (M. viridis), but was split as a distinct species by the IUCN Red List and BirdLife International in 2014, and the International Ornithological Congress followed suit in 2022.^[2][3] It is still confused with M. viridis as it is still called blue-throated bee-eater by many including eBird.^[4]

Habitat

It inhabits open country and clearings adjacent to forested areas, including over scrub and cogon fields, using dead trees and telephone wires as perches.^[5] It is resident.

References

1. BirdLife International (2016). "Merops americanus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22725908A94905658. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
2. "IOC World Bird List 12.1". IOC World Bird List Datasets. doi:10.14344/ioc.ml.12.1. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
3. Collar, Nigel J. (2011). "Species limits in some Philippine birds including the Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus" (PDF). Forktail. 27: 29–38.
4. "Rufous-crowned Bee-eater - eBird". ebird.org. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
5. Kennedy, Robert S.; Johns Bitting, Melinda, eds. (2000). A guide to the birds of the Philippines (1. publ ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-854668-9.