The bee-eater are a group of birds in the family Meropidae, most of which species are found in Africa, with others occurring in southern Europe, Madagascar, Australia and New Guinea.

As described by the name, bee-eaters predominantly eat insects, such as bees, wasps, dragon flies and other flying insects. As such, they usually only eat prey that they catch on the wing and often ignore insects once they land.

With many of the stinging insects, the bee-eater removes the sting by repeatedly hitting the insect on a hard surface such as the branch of a tree.