Merops (genus)
| Merops | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Six common African merops bee-eaters | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Coraciiformes |
| Family: | Meropidae |
| Genus: |
Merops Linnaeus, 1758 |
| Species | |
|
see text |
|
see text
Merops is a large genus of bee-eaters, a group of near passerine birds in the family Meropidae. The members of this Old World family are characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies and usually elongated central tail feathers. They predominantly eat insects, especially bees, wasps and hornets, which are caught in the air.
All bee-eaters are in the genus Merops and subfamily Meropinae except for three Asiatic bearded bee-eaters in the subfamily Nyctyornithinae (in genera Nyctyornis and Meropogon). The genus name Merops is Ancient Greek for "bee-eater".
Twenty-four extant species are recognized:
Formerly, some authorities also considered the following species (or subspecies) as species within the genus Merops:
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