Southern Carmine Bee-Eater

African bird · insect hunter · colorful

Stunning scarlet plumage. The southern carmine bee-eater is painted in bright red and crimson colors that make it one of Africa's most dazzling birds. Its name comes from its deep carmine (deep red) coloring that covers most of its body.

Aerial acrobat hunter. This bee-eater catches flying insects in mid-air by diving and swooping through the sky with amazing agility. It's built to be fast and nimble, with a long pointed beak perfect for snatching bees, wasps, and other flying insects.

Sub-equatorial African home. Southern carmine bee-eaters live across the regions south of the equator in Africa, where they thrive in warm climates. They're found in various habitats where they can hunt flying insects.

Recently separated species. Scientists used to think the southern and northern carmine bee-eaters were the same species, but they later discovered they were different enough to be their own separate species. This shows how careful scientists are about understanding which birds are truly different from each other.

Bee and wasp specialists. Despite their name including 'bee', these birds eat many types of flying insects, especially wasps and other stinging insects. They've become expert hunters at catching these fast-moving creatures in flight.