The blue-breasted bee-eater, Merops variegatus, exhibits several physically defining characteristics of the Meropidae.

It has a relatively large head, short neck, bright plumage, long curved slim sharp beak and a broad black eyestripe.

[4] The cinnamon-chested bee-eater which also live in Ethiopia has the black mask and white cheek like that of the blue breasted bee eater.

[5] Meropidae has two major clades, one exclusively made up of African residents while the second one is mostly migrant species found in Asia and Africa.

Historically Merops was split up into six genera which are no longer valid: Bomblonax, Melittophagus, Dicrocercus, Meropiscus, Aerops and Philothurs.

[5][4] The Ethiopian bee-eater (M. lafresnayii) was formerly considered conspecific, but was split as a distinct species by the IOC in 2021.

Blue breasted bee-eaters are found in many central African countries such as Angola, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria and Cameroon.

[2][4] Within these countries the blue-breasted bee-eaters are found in a variety of habitats, ranging from reedy lake shores to the savanna grass lands bordering the Congo basin.

[4][3] Members of the genus Merops have a diet specialized in hymenopterans compared to the rest of Meropidae.

[4] The blue-breasted bee eaters’ diet consists of a wide variety of insect species.

[4][3] Blue breasted bee eaters’ mate at different times of the year depending on their geographic location.

[3] Although several species of Meropidae are known for cooperative breeding, the blue-breasted bee-eater is a solitary monogamous breeder.