The Arabian Green Bee-eater subspecies M. c. cyanophrys occurring from southern Israel to western Jordan and west and south Arabian coasts of Saudi Arabia and M. c. muscatensis occurring from central Arabian plateau and east Arabia (E Yemen to Oman and United Arab Emirates). The race najdanus (from Central Arabian plateau) is now included within muscatensis. This proposed new species is not difficult to see and can be seen away from the main endemic rich area of the southwest mountains, although it does not reach as far as the Eastern Province stopping around the Riyadh area in central Saudi Arabia. Shaqra is about 175 kilometres northwest of Riyadh and holds good numbers of Arabian Bee-eater. The ones photographed below were seen at Shaqra landfill site where a group of five birds were seen flying around.
