A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Merops orientalis
Like other bee-eaters, this species is a richly coloured, slender bird. It is about 9 inches (16–18 cm) long with about 2 inches made up by the elongated central tail-feathers. The sexes are not visually distinguishable. The entire plumage is bright green and tinged with blue especially on the chin and throat. The crown and upper back are tinged with golden rufous. The flight feathers are rufous washed with green and tipped with blackish. A fine black line runs in front of and behind the eye. The iris is crimson and the bill is black while the legs are dark grey. The feet are weak with the three toes joined at the base.
This species often hunts from low perches, maybe only a metre or less high. It readily makes use of fence wires and electric wires. Unlike some other bee-eaters, they can be found well away from water.
Like other species in the genus, bee-eaters predominantly eat insects, especially bees, wasps and ants, which are caught in the air by sorties from an open perch. Before swallowing prey, a bee-eater removes stings and breaks the exoskeleton of the prey by repeatedly thrashing it on the perch
Thanks, Sachin! The European Bee-eaters should be coming through soon on migration. We'll see a few here in Sinai, but not as many as I used to see in Cairo. But I'll take what I can get! :-)
The Green Bee-eater is the only resident in Egypt, but there are 2 other species (European and Blue-cheeked) that come through on migration. Wish we had these beautiful birds all year round!
Yes, they have fabulous colors!! This bee-eater is a resident bird in Egypt, but I've not spotted one...yet. :-) Is it resident in India, too?
Thanks a Lot Emma, and that was a great Surprise about Saras Che!!
"Aabhar"
Its nice one of specie Merops orientalis orientalis and look like very young one...
http://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php...