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Birds > grguy  > Nature photographs > Blue-throated Bee-eaters
A look into the lives of a colony of Blue-throated Bee-eaters.
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There are 26 species of Bee-eaters and 6 of them are represented in South-East Asia. One of these species is the Blue-throated bee-eater (Merops viridis). This species is not endemic to the area around Penang and come south from Thailand to breed. They are slightly bigger than the Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters, that nest in the same location, and have the characteristic elongated central tail feathers. Again there is little obvious difference between males and female unless the pair is compared alongside each other. Their breeding season is from February to August.
Blue-throated bee-eaters are a handsome bird and arrive in the nesting grounds in good condition. Because of the red coloring of the head they have been mistakenly called Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters.
The main feature of Bee-eaters is their brilliant flying ability. They can change direction quickly and dive to within inches from the ground when in pursuit of insects.
Bee-eaters are diurnal and at night will go to high trees on the periphery of the nesting grounds, or even further away, to roost. At times they don't make an appearance until an hour after sunrise.
As the sun rises over the nesting grounds the night sounds of the Long-tailed Nightjars gives way to the strident calls of the White-throated Kingfishers and the descending scale of the Plaintive Cuckoos.
The Blue-throated bee-eaters arrive as a small colony at the nesting grounds in mid- to late February.
The numbers soon increased and at the peak of the season there are 250-300 members in the nesting colony.
Most lower perches in the area were fully occupied.
Blue-throated Bee-eaters inhabit open country, borders of large rivers, sometimes parks and gardens, also in forest clearings and edges up to 800m in altitude. They are usually in flocks and roost in large numbers.
There are 26 species of Bee-eaters and 6 of them are represented in South-East Asia. One of these species is the Blue-throated bee-eater (Merops viridis). This species is not endemic to the area around Penang and come south from Thailand to breed. They are slightly bigger than the Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters, that nest in the same location, and have the characteristic elongated central tail feathers. Again there is little obvious difference between males and female unless the pair is compared alongside each other. Their breeding season is from February to August.
There are 26 species of Bee-eaters and 6 of them are represented in South-East Asia. One of these species is the Blue-throated bee-eater (Merops viridis). This species is not endemic to the area around Penang and come south from Thailand to breed. They are slightly bigger than the Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters, that nest in the same location, and have the characteristic elongated central tail feathers. Again there is little obvious difference between males and female unless the pair is compared alongside each other. Their breeding season is from February to August.
There are 26 species of Bee-eaters and 6 of them are represented in South-East Asia. One of these species is the Blue-throated bee-eater (Merops viridis). This species is not endemic to the area around Penang and come south from Thailand to breed. They are slightly bigger than the Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters, that nest in the same location, and have the characteristic elongated central tail feathers. Again there is little obvious difference between males and female unless the pair is compared alongside each other. Their breeding season is from February to August.
gallery pages:  1  2  3  4  5  6  >  >>
< 1 of 105 >
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