Animalia Life
Merops gularis
TAXONOMY
Merops gularis Shaw, 1798, Sierra Leone. Two subspecies.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
French: Guкpier noir; German: Purpurspint; Spanish: Abejaruco
Negro.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
8 in (20 cm); 0.85–1.0 oz (24–30 g). Particularly striking and
distinctive plumage, with nearly entirely black head and black
back with contrasting scarlet throat and azure-blue rump.
DISTRIBUTION
West Africa from Sierra Leone west through Central Africa to
eastern Zaire.
HABITAT
Clearings and stream edges in rainforest, secondary forest,
wooded farmland, and gallery forest, usually high above the
ground.
BEHAVIOR
Sedentary or partial migrant. Appears to be some movement
corresponding to wet and dry seasons.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Usually forages high in the tree canopy.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Poorly known. Usually a solitary breeder; small colonies have
been observed in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Breeding occurs
from March to May.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
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