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The blue-cheeked bee-eater (Merops persicus) is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family, Meropidae. Merops persicus persicus breeds in Asia, winters in East and Southern Africa. This species, like other bee-eaters, is a richly coloured, slender bird. It is predominantly green; its face has blue sides with a black eye stripe, and a yellow and brown throat; the beak is black. It can reach a length of 31 cm, with the two elongated central tail feathers adding another 7 cm. Sexes are mostly alike but the tail-streamers of the female are shorter.

This is a bird which breeds in sub-tropical semi-desert with a few trees, such as acacia. It winters in open woodland or grassland. 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. However, this species probably takes more dragonflies than any other food item. Its preferred hunting perch is telephone wires if available.

Regular palearctic migrant : late Oct.-early April at lakes Victoria, Baringo, Jipe and Manyara, in mangroves  on lower Tana river  and coastal creeks south to Tanga.

Sources : Wikipedia / Birds of Kenya & Northern Tanzania book.