THE bluecheeked bee-eater breeds in North and west Africa.
They are a summer Palaeartic migrant from November to April in the central and north-eastern parts of South Africa including Zululand.
They are fairly common locally, being found mainly along large rivers and also in woodlands around pans and coastal estuaries. They are gregarious in small flocks and hunt actively over open areas.
They perch regularly, spaced on power lines. They swoop down after their prey, with 85% of their sallies being successful.
The bird’s food preference is insects, including butterflies and dragonflies.
Their call is a syncopated ‘treee-preep-titi’. Breeding is extralimital.
The Zulu name is isithwelathwela and Afrikaans die blouwangbyvreter.
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