• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	-	-

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2021	Near Threatened	A3c+4c
2016	Near Threatened	A2c+3c+4c
2012	Near Threatened	A2c+3c+4c
2011	Least Concern
2008	Not Recognised
2004	Not Recognised
2000	Not Recognised
1994	Not Recognised
1988	Not Recognised

Migratory status	not a migrant	Forest dependency	high
Land-mass type		Average mass	-

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	1,030,000 km2
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	unknown	-	-	-
Population trend	decreasing	-	inferred	2016-2026
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-15%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	20-29%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	20-29%	-	-	-
Generation length	3.1 years	-	-	-

Population justification: The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is reported to be not uncommon and rare to locally common (del Hoyo et al. 2001).

Trend justification: The population is inferred to be in moderately rapid decline, owing primarily to habitat loss, which is driven mainly by logging for timber and agricultural encroachment (del Hoyo et al. 2001; F. Dowsett-Lemaire in litt. 2012; J. Lindsell in litt. 2012). The decline is not thought to be more severe than this because the species demonstrates some tolerance of habitat fragmentation and degradation.
Between 2001-2019, this species's range experienced a loss of forest cover of 16% (Global Forest Watch 2021). Assuming that the population declines at a similar rate, this equates to a rate of 9% over three generations. The suspected rate of past decline is therefore placed in the band of 1-15% over three generations.
Between 2016-2019, this species's range experienced a loss of forest cover of 7.2% (Global Forest Watch 2021). Assuming that the population declines at a similar rate, projected forward over three generations, this equates to a rate of 22%. Hence, the suspected future rate of decline is placed in the band 20-29% over three generations.

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
Cameroon	extant	native	yes
Côte d'Ivoire	extant	native	yes
Ghana	extant	native	yes
Guinea	extant	native	yes
Liberia	extant	native	yes
Nigeria	extant	native	yes
Sierra Leone	extant	native	yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Cameroon	Bakossi mountains
Cameroon	Banyang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary
Cameroon	Korup National Park
Côte d'Ivoire	Bossematie Forest Reserve
Côte d'Ivoire	Gueoule and Glo Mountain Forest Reserves
Côte d'Ivoire	Mopri Forest Reserve
Côte d'Ivoire	Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve
Côte d'Ivoire	Parc National de Taï et Réserve de faune du N'Zo
Côte d'Ivoire	Yapo and Mambo Forest Reserves
Ghana	Ankasa Resource Reserve - Nini-Sushien National Park
Ghana	Boin Tano Forest Reserve
Guinea	Diécké
Guinea	Massif du Ziama
Liberia	Grebo
Liberia	Lofa-Gola-Mano Complex
Liberia	Nimba mountains
Liberia	Wologizi mountains
Liberia	Wonegizi mountains
Liberia	Zwedru
Nigeria	Cross River National Park (Oban Division)
Nigeria	Cross River National Park (Okwangwo Division) and Mbe Mountains
Nigeria	Okomu National Park
Sierra Leone	Gola Forests
Sierra Leone	Loma Mountains Non-hunting Forest Reserve

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable Land	suitable	resident
Artificial/Terrestrial	Subtropical/Tropical Heavily Degraded Former Forest	suitable	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	major	resident
Altitude	0 - 1200 m	Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Agro-industry farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Shifting agriculture	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Negligible declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Small-holder farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture	Livestock farming & ranching - Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (large scale) [harvest]	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Residential & commercial development	Housing & urban areas	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Negligible declines		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Species factsheet: Blue-moustached Bee-eater Merops mentalis. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/blue-moustached-bee-eater-merops-mentalis on 03/01/2025.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2025) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 03/01/2025.