Rainbow Bee-eater (female)

Description:

This is a female! A striking, colourful bird, the Rainbow Bee-eater is medium sized, with a long slim curved bill and a long tail with distinctive tail-streamers. It has a golden crown and a red eye set in a wide black stripe from the base of the bill to the ears, which is edged with a thin blue line. The throat is orange-yellow, with a broad black band separating it from a green breast. The upperparts are green, with the flight feathers coppery and black tipped. The underwings are bright orange, with a black edge. The lower abdomen is blue. The tail is black, including the long tail streamers, with a blue tinge. Females have shorter, thicker tail streamers than males, but are otherwise similar. (Birdlife Australia)

Habitat:

Along the bank of the river in Windjana Gorge.

Notes:

I absolute adore these little birds. Here in the Kimberley they are common and when they are not around I miss them. They are incredibly agile in the air and it is astounding to watch them catch their prey on the wing. After catching it they beat it against whatever they land on before swallowing it. Reference: http://birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/rain...