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Merops Apiaster
Bee-Eaters are identified by their rich plumage, slender bodies and elongated central tail feathers. In flight they can be identified by their down turned beak and pointed wings.
As far as I can find out these birds are not native to Turkey but summer here. We have been living here for 6 years now and this is the first time we have seen them. I don't know if that is because they have not chosen this path before or we have just not noticed them before.
For the last few days we had heard this flock of birds before we saw them and counted around 20 individuals. Unfortunately they fly over so quickly that this is the best shot that I have been able to get.
Spotted on May 14, 2011
Submitted on May 16, 2011
2 Comments
Thank you Malcolm.
These birds actually breed in Southern Europe, including Turkey, and into Asia. They migrate south in winter into the tropics where they can maintain their diet of Dragonflies. They often nest in burrows in sandbanks, and often rest in scattered groups in several trees or perch on wires. They are heard long before they are seen and can be difficult to see as they fly in very loose flocks, but frequently mix with Swifts.