Little Bee-eater
Merops pusillus
Abstract
Little Bee-eater Merops pusillus has most recently been assessed for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2024. Merops pusillus is listed as Least Concern.
The Red List Assessment
BirdLife International 2024. Merops pusillus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2024: e.T22683688A263638827. Accessed on 07 December 2025.
Last assessed
12 June 2024
Scope of assessment
Global
Population trend
Decreasing
Number of mature individuals
Habitat and ecology
Forest, Savanna, Shrubland, Grassland, Wetlands (inland), Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks), Artificial/Terrestrial
Geographic range
-
Extant (resident)
Assessment Information
Global Assessment
IUCN Red List Category and Criteria - Global Assessment
Date assessed
12 June 2024
Year published
2024
Assessment Information in detail
Geographic Range
Native
Extant (resident)
Angola; Benin; Botswana; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cameroon; Central African Republic; Chad; Congo; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Côte d'Ivoire; Eritrea; Eswatini; Ethiopia; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Kenya; Liberia; Malawi; Mali; Mauritania; Mozambique; Namibia; Niger; Nigeria; Rwanda; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Somalia; South Africa; South Sudan; Tanzania, United Republic of; Togo; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe
Extant (resident)
Sudan
Number of locations
Upper elevation limit
5,000 metres
Lower elevation limit
0 metres
Upper depth limit
Lower depth limit
Geographic Range in detail
Population
Current population trend
Number of mature individuals
Population severely fragmented
No
Continuing decline of mature individuals
Unknown
Population in detail
Habitat and Ecology
Generation length (years)
2.58 years
Congregatory
Movement patterns
Not a Migrant
Continuing decline in area, extent and/or quality of habitat
Unknown
Habitat and Ecology in detail
Threats
Threats in detail
Use and Trade
Pets/display animals, horticulture
Use and Trade in detail
Conservation Actions
In-place research and monitoring
- Action Recovery Plan : No
- Systematic monitoring scheme : No
In-place land/water protection
- Conservation sites identified : Yes, over entire range
- Occurs in at least one protected area : Yes
- Invasive species control or prevention : No
In-place species management
- Successfully reintroduced or introduced benignly : No
- Subject to ex-situ conservation : No
In-place education
- Subject to recent education and awareness programmes : No
- Included in international legislation : No
- Subject to any international management / trade controls : No
Conservation Actions in detail
Bibliography
Red List Bibliography
External Data
Images and External Links
Images and External Links in detail
CITES Legislation from Species+
Data source
The information below is from the Species+ website.
CITES Legislation from Species+ in detail
Ex situ data from Species360
Data source
The information below is from Species360's Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS)
Ex situ data from Species360 in detail
Studies and Actions from Conservation Evidence
Data source
The information below is from the Conservation Evidence website.