Like other Bee-eaters Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters are brilliant fliers and highly successful hunters. It has been estimated their strike rate is around 70% when chasing prey.

A photographic essay of a colony of Chestnut-headed bee-eaters.

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There are 26 species of Bee-eaters with 6 found in the South-East Asian area. Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters (Merops leschenaulti) are resident in Northern Peninsular Malaysia and are the iconic bird of the State of Penang in Malaysia. They are a medium-sized Bee-eater without the characteristic elongated central tail feathers. Males and females look similar although there are differences between the sexes (see below).

The second 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 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.

The third South-east Asian species is the Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops phillippinus) This species is migratory and is confined to coastal and mangrove areas. They are present in the Penang state area from October to February and migrate north to breed.

The forth South East Asia species; the Red Bearded Bee-eater.
Bee-eaters consist of two subfamilies---the bearded Bee-eaters Nyctyornithinae and Meropinae, the typical Bee-eaters. The Red-bearded Bee-eater (Nyctyornis amictus) is a forest dwelling species along with it's cousin (and 5th SE Asian species) the Blue-bearded bee-eater (Nyctyornis athertoni).

The sixth species found in South-east Asia is the Green Bee-eater (Merops orientalis). Green Bee-eaters are not found in Penang region, this one was photographed in Sri Lanka.

Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters habitat includes; Open broadleaved evergreen, semi-evergreen and mixed deciduous forest and bamboo (along rivers), forest edge and clearings, coastal scrub, mangroves, island forest, sometimes plantation....up to 1,830m.

Because Bee-eaters hunt only flying prey they are not dependent on any plant species or their fruit and can adapt to a relatively broad range of habitats.

A Chestnut-headed Bee-eater flairs it's tail and wings.

Like other Bee-eaters Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters are brilliant fliers and highly successful hunters. It has been estimated their strike rate is around 70% when chasing prey.

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