Review of the diet specialisation of the Blue-cheeked bee-eater (Merops persicus).

Ecological specialisation, e.g. in terms of prey preferences, can have important implications for population biology. Bee-eaters are considered diet specialists; they hunt aerial insects, particularly hymenopterans. However, the Blue-cheeked bee-eater (Merops persicus) has been considered a special case, as it preferentially feeds upon dragonflies (Odonata). Here we review current literature on the diet of the Blue-cheeked bee-eater, and conclude that this species is not as restricted to dragonflies as previously suggested. Instead, populations in different parts of the breeding and wintering ranges seem to specialise on various types of insects (such as wasps, bees, dragonflies, butterflies and mosquitoes). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]