The blue-breasted bee-eater (Merops variegatus) has a wide chest band made up of two colours, a deep purple-blue gorget above a chestnut coloured breastband. It can be distinguished from other members of the family by a combination of characteristics. It has a blue stripe over the black eye stripe, an orange-red iris, a white cheek and a bright yellow throat. It is closely related to the Ethiopian bee-easter. 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. But the Ethiopian bee-eater is only found in Ethiopia.
