The bee-eaters are a group of birds in the family Meropidae, containing three genera and thirty species. Most species are found in Africa and Asia, with a few in southern Europe, Australia, and New Guinea.

The family name is from the genus Merop which is Ancient Greek for "bee-eater".

The three genera of the family:

1/ Nyctyornis

2/ Meropogon

3/ Merops