Showing posts with label SWALLOW TAILED BEE-EATER (Merops hirundineus). Show all posts
Showing posts with label SWALLOW TAILED BEE-EATER (Merops hirundineus). Show all posts
Tuesday, 24 May 2022
Sunday, 15 May 2022
Tuesday, 3 December 2019
8-6-2019 KHWAI CAMP, BOTSWANA - SWALLOW TAILED BEE-EATER (Merops hirundineus) PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER
The Swallow-tailed Bee-eater is a vibrant green African bird with a striking forked blue tail, yellow throat, and black eye stripe, known for catching bees and wasps mid-air from open perches in wooded savannas, nesting colonially in sandy banks, and sharing communal feeding/roosting habits. These colorful insectivores are easily approached, display distinct behaviors like removing stings before eating, and form pairs or small colonies, making them easily identifiable.
The swallow-tailed bee-eater (Merops hirundineus) is a species of bee-eater native to sub-Saharan Africa. It feeds predominantly on insects, especially bees and their relatives, which are caught in flight from an open perch. Its vivid colors and forked tail are distinctive.
Like other bee-eaters, this is a richly coloured, slender bird. Its colours and readily visible forked tail make it unmistakable. It is mainly green with a yellow throat, blue gorget and black eye stripe and beak. Swallow-tailed bee-eaters can reach a length of 20–22 cm, including the long forked green or blue feathers. Sexes are alike.
It breeds in savannah woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. It is partially migratory, moving in response to rainfall patterns. This is a species which prefers somewhat more wooded country than most bee-eaters.
This attractive bird is readily approached. Just as the name suggests, bee-eaters predominantly eat insects, especially bees, wasps and hornets, which are caught in the air by sorties from an open perch. The swallowtail has a preference for honeybees.
These bee-eaters nest as pairs or in very small colonies in sandy banks, or similar flat ground. They make a relatively long tunnel in which the 2 to 4 spherical, white eggs are laid. They also feed and roost communally.
Saturday, 6 July 2019
27-5-2019 SOMALISA CAMP, ZIMBABWE - SWALLOW TAILED BEE-EATER (Merops hirundineus)
The Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, a member of the Meropidae family, is a slender bird adorned with a palette of vibrant colors. Its distinctive forked tail, a feature from which its name is derived, is a visual delight. The bird's plumage is primarily green, complemented by a yellow throat, a striking blue gorget, and a pronounced black eye stripe and beak. Both males and females share a similar appearance and can reach a length of 20 to 22 centimeters, inclusive of the elongated forked tail feathers that may exhibit green or blue hues.
Inhabiting the savannah woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa, the Swallow-tailed Bee-eater is a bird that exhibits partial migratory behavior, often influenced by the ebb and flow of seasonal rainfall. This species shows a preference for areas with a denser tree presence compared to its bee-eater counterparts.
The Swallow-tailed Bee-eater is known for its approachability and its aerial prowess in capturing insects. True to its name, it predominantly feeds on flying insects such as bees, wasps, and hornets, which it deftly snatches from the air during sallies from an open perch. Among its preferred prey are honeybees. These birds are also known to nest either as individual pairs or in small colonies, burrowing into sandy banks to lay their 2 to 4 spherical, white eggs. Communal activities extend to feeding and roosting, where they gather in groups.
The Swallow-tailed Bee-eater is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that, at present, there are no immediate threats to its population levels that would warrant a higher degree of conservation action.
Saturday, 22 June 2019
8-6-2019 KHWAI CAMP, BOTSWANA - SWALLOW TAILED BEE-EATER (Merops hirundineus)
The Swallow-tailed Bee-eater is a vibrant green African bird with a striking forked blue tail, yellow throat, and black eye stripe, known for catching bees and wasps mid-air from open perches in wooded savannas, nesting colonially in sandy banks, and sharing communal feeding/roosting habits. These colorful insectivores are easily approached, display distinct behaviors like removing stings before eating, and form pairs or small colonies, making them easily identifiable.
The swallow-tailed bee-eater (Merops hirundineus) is a species of bee-eater native to sub-Saharan Africa. It feeds predominantly on insects, especially bees and their relatives, which are caught in flight from an open perch. Its vivid colors and forked tail are distinctive.
Like other bee-eaters, this is a richly coloured, slender bird. Its colours and readily visible forked tail make it unmistakable. It is mainly green with a yellow throat, blue gorget and black eye stripe and beak. Swallow-tailed bee-eaters can reach a length of 20–22 cm, including the long forked green or blue feathers. Sexes are alike.
It breeds in savannah woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. It is partially migratory, moving in response to rainfall patterns. This is a species which prefers somewhat more wooded country than most bee-eaters.
This attractive bird is readily approached. Just as the name suggests, bee-eaters predominantly eat insects, especially bees, wasps and hornets, which are caught in the air by sorties from an open perch. The swallowtail has a preference for honeybees.
These bee-eaters nest as pairs or in very small colonies in sandy banks, or similar flat ground. They make a relatively long tunnel in which the 2 to 4 spherical, white eggs are laid. They also feed and roost communally.
The Swallow-tailed Bee-eater is a vibrantly colored African bird known for its striking green body, yellow throat, blue collar, and deeply forked blue tail, catching insects like bees and wasps in flight from savanna perches. These social birds form flocks, nest in sandy bank tunnels, and meticulously remove stings from their prey by rubbing them against a perch before eating.
Appearance & Identification
Colors: Bright green body, yellow throat, blue collar/chin, black eye stripe, and distinctive deep blue, forked tail.
Size: Medium-sized, about 20-22 cm long, with the tail making up a significant portion.
Sexes: Males and females look alike.
Habitat & Range
Location: Sub-Saharan Africa, common in West, East, and Southern Africa.
Environment: Prefers open woodlands, savannas, and scrubby areas, often near water.
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