Bee-eaters in captivity

There we are again.
Following suit on our previous threads (Birds of Paradise in captivity, Cotingas in captivity, Barbets in captivity, Manakins in captivity), @Vision and I have been working on a list for yet another family of wonderful birds in captivity, namely Bee-eaters.

A couple thoughts beforehand:
1) Because we had to draw the line somewhere, we decided to use no information older than 5 years (so only things posted from 2012 onwards) upon making this list; we did this to keep the list as accurate and up-to-date as possible.
2) To make this list we used information from zootierliste, zoochat, visits to the respective zoos, and occasionally other sources (facebook pages of the collections, visits of friends to the respective zoos, etc.)
3) There are bound to be many more bee-eaters in other collections, but it is very hard to find a lot of information about them online.
4) Anyone is more than welcome to mention things that need to be altered/updated on this list!



BEE-EATERS IN CAPTIVITY
Merops (8)
White-throated bee-eater, Merops albicollis (2)
NORTH AMERICA:
Bronx (0,0,10)
San Diego Zoo (x,x)

European bee-eater, Merops apiaster (14)
EUROPE:
Antwerp (0,0,9)
Argeles Gazost (x,x)
Best (x,x)
Budapest (x,x)
Copenhagen (4,5)
Dresden (x,x)
Frankfurt (3,2)
Landgraaf (x,x)
Olmen (x,x)
Plock (0,5)
Sant Alessio (x,x)
Spata (x,x)
Vienna (x,x)
Zürich (x,x)


Red-throated bee-eater, Merops bulocki (2)
EUROPE:
Plzen (0,0,5)

NORTH AMERICA:
Oklahoma City Zoo (x,x)

White-fronted bee-eater, Merops bullockoides (8)
EUROPE:
Berlin ZG (1,2)
Hagenbeck (x,x)
Olmen (x,x)
Pairi Daiza (x,x)
Vienna (x,x)

NORTH AMERICA:
Bronx (0,0,20)
San Diego SP (x,x)
San Diego Zoo (x,x)

Chestnut-headed bee-eater, Merops leschenaulti (1)
ASIA:
Penang Bird Park (x,x)

Rainbow bee-eater, Merops ornatus (2)
OCEANIA:
Adelaide Zoo (x,x)
Alice Springs (x,x)
Hunter Valley Zoo (x,x)
Taronga Zoo (x,x)

Blue-cheeked bee-eater, Merops persicus (1)
EUROPE:
Magdeburg (x,x,9)

Northern Carmine bee-eater, Merops nubicus (17)
EUROPE:
Basel (6,6)
Berlin ZG (2,1)
Bourton-on-the-Water (x,x)
Cologne (38,38,5)
Dvur Kralove (x,x)
Hagenbeck (x,x)
Krefeld (x,x)
Magdeburg (x,x)
Olmen (x,x)
Pairi Daiza (x,x)
Plzen (x,x)
Rotterdam (x,x)
Walsrode (x,x)

NORTH AMERICA:
Cincinnati (x,x)
Saint Louis (x,x)

ASIA:
Jurong (x,x)
Zoorasia (x,x)

 

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park also holds this species.

 

They were breeding them at Featherdale a few years ago.



Hix

 

Just out of curiousity I made a small list of the species I've taken care for and came to a remarkeble 7 species :
- Black bee-eater
- Cinnamon-chested bee-eater
- European bee-eater
- Little bee-eater
- White-fronted bee-eater
- White-throated bee-eater

 

I've seen 11 species in the wild. I'm a little surprised that only 8 of the 26 odd species are held in captivity.



Hix

 

San Diego Zoo recently acquired this species as well.

 

Bee-eaters in general seem surprisingly rare in captivity considering they're widely distributed, common in many areas, and most are really rather attractive and colourful species. Kingfishers are another taxon that seem to be in the same position.

Are they particularly difficult to breed and keep in captivity?

(also, I'm on 14 species in the wild )

 

I don't know much about bee-eater breeding and husbandry, but I can say that despite being attractive and colorful, they are still small birds - one of the animal groups that the average visitor seems to care the least about. A colorful and active small bird may receive a couple more looks than a dull-colored and motionless small bird, but it's still gonna get ignored in favor of any ABC's nearby. That, and the fact that many bee-eaters - as you mention - are not rare in the wild, probably gives zoos little incentive to keep them.

I do think bee-eaters can made significantly interesting to the public if they are exhibited the way that for example Basel Zoo exhibits them. Near a beehive so that you might be lucky to actually see their special bee-catching techniques (which I saw several times when I visited). Problem is, most zoos seem to keep them in tropical halls or mixed-species African aviaries in bird houses. Would they be willing to put in the effort to make a dedicated bee-eater exhibit?

 

Taronga Zoo used to have a beehive near their Rainbow Bee-eaters (it may have even been in the aviary). But people are terrified of bees and when they saw them buzzing around outside the aviary they'd literally run away and see none of the birds in that area.



Hix

 

Visited the Open Day held today at Wisbroek Breeding Center in the Netherlands. During 2015 I had also visited this collection and found then no less then 5 species :
- Red-throated
- Northern carmine
- White-throated
- White-fronted
- Blue-cheeked
Today I only found large groups of 2 species :
- Northern carmine
- Red-throated
This does however not mean that the other species are not kept anymore ( althrough this is also possible ). A large part of the collection was not visuable for the public so the other species may still be kept but I'm not sure about this.
From the 2 species still being kept for surtain I've already uploaded pictures in the Wilbroek Gallery - the Netherlands ( see Red-throated bee-eater | ZooChat and Carmine bee-eater | ZooChat ).

 

Bronx zoo some time ago announced bee-eater feeding, when birds snatched insects in flight. I wonder what became of it. Anyway, feeding bee-eaters by hand could be interesting for visitors.

 

Intresting article about Bee-eater-keeping and breeding at Walsrode ( the writer is by the way a nice guy ) :

Keeping and Breeding Bee-eaters | de Ruiter | AFA Watchbird

 

Article about the breeding-programm of White-fronted bee-eaters at San Diego Safari Park :

Safari Park Welcomes 105th White-Fronted Bee-Eater Chick

 

Kobe Animal Kingdom now keeps northern carmens. Unkown ratio

 

There are Blue-tailed bee-eaters in Taipei.

White-throated bee-eaters are present in 3 zoos in Germany. Red-throated bee-eaters are present in Czech Republic now, but there are two holders in Germany and one in Denmark.

I hope to see more African bee-eaters like the Rosy, Olive, Swallow-tailed, Black and more.

 

My mistake, two zoos in Germany and one in Denmark.

 

Hi I do apologise for belated reply. Bee eaters are notorious for being difficult to feed in captivity as they only feed on flying insects. Bee eaters land on the ground but don't walk much. Wild adult individuals were very difficult to feed) And youngsters are difficult to hand rear. There has been success with maintaining bee hives adjacent to bee eater exhibits. Not all bee eaters prey on bees and a wide variety of winged insects are eaten. (Also fish are taken by some species , adopting the method used by their close relatives the kingfishers) Most Bee eaters are colony breeders that live in 'clans' consisting of immediate and extended families and this stimulates breeding, breeding tunnels are used for roosting. In the 1970's Little ( a non colony breeder) & White throated were bred at Winged World, UK.

 

So many more species have been bred in the meantime, both at zoos/birdparks as well in private collections and they are realy not only feeding on flying insects. A good mixture of insectfood mixed with mealworms and crickets will keep them healthy and happy. Kept and bred a good number of species myself ( both at public collections as well as privatly ).