[2] It breeds in Northern Africa, and the Middle East from eastern Turkey to Kazakhstan and India.

It is generally strongly migratory, wintering in tropical Africa, although some populations breed and live year-round in the Sahel.

As the name suggests, bee-eaters predominantly eat insects, especially bees, wasps and hornets, which are caught in the air by sorties from an open perch.

The nests are located in sandy banks, embankments, low cliffs or on the shore of the Caspian Sea.

They make a relatively long tunnel of 1 to 3 m (3–10 ft) in length in which the four to eight (usually six or seven), spherical white eggs are laid.