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They have a distinctive white forehead, a square tail and a bright red patch on their throat. They nest in small colonies, digging holes in cliffs or earthen banks but can usually be seen in low trees waiting for passing insects from which they hunt either by making quick hawking flights or gliding down before hovering briefly to catch insects. This species, like other bee-eaters, is a richly coloured, slender bird, but with a distinctive black mask, white forehead, square tail and a bright red throat. The upperparts are green, with cinnamon underparts. The call is a deep squeak
This is a species of bee-eater widely distributed in sub-equatorial Africa.
Their diet is made up primarily of bees, but they also take other flying insects depending on the season and availability of prey. Two hunting methods have been observed. They either make quick hawking flights from lower branches of shrubs and trees, or glide slowly down from their perch and hover briefly to catch insects.
For e.g: in this spotting Liam has suggested:
Common name: White-fronted Bee-eater.
Scientific name: Merops bullockoides.
But, before updating make sure you agree with the suggestion.
Shri, when we give a suggestion for the Id, the first name is the common name, the second name is the scientific name and in the end we add a reference link. Please edit your spottings which have been suggested to, and enter the common and scientific name that are suggested, if you feel they are correct. Hope to see all your spottings edited with correct names. Happy spotting.
Thanks a lot Liam. You have been a great help in identifying many of my pictures. I have joined this sight few days back although i had many sighteeings but could not identify them. Thanks again
shri patwardhan