She’s always had deep respect and appreciation for wildlife and nature, and a special fascination for birds. It has a golden crown and a red eye set in a wide black stripe from the base of the bill to the ears, which is edged with a thin blue line. European bee-eaters often live in arid or semi-arid environments. The center of diversity of the family is Africa, although a number of species also occur in Asia. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 15/09/2020. They are considered a carnivore. They can be identified by their slender form, bright yellow throat, rusty-colored crown, turquoise under-parts, and yellowy backs. It is a tiny exquisite bird which has bright emerald green plumage. Pairs are monogamous and will breed for many years as long as they both survive from year to year. It can eat about 250 bees a day. It will be a month before the chicks leave the nest. The bee-eaters are a group of land birds in the family Meropidae.. A European bee-eater will measure 28cm (11in) on average. This includes forest, savanna, shrubland, grassland and wetlands. It has a bright yellow throat and turquoise underparts. European bee-eaters display little sexual dimorphism, so it can be difficult to tell males and females apart. Some resident groups avoid the migration entirely as they have established small breeding populations in South Africa. In human inhabited areas they will also inhabit pasture and cultivated areas. European bee eater poster, 1961 Vintage Bird print Bird wall hanging picture of bee eater Vintage bird decor Bird art Bird gift for Hunter FrenchVintagePrints. She has a diploma in nature conservation and spent a year working with wattled cranes under the Wattled Crane Recovery Programme during her internship. Birds. European Bee-Eater. “Merops apiaster” (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. The European Bee-Eater likes grassy locations and sandy banks near water. As the breeding season ends around the latter half of July, they begin their migration south – trading the harsh Northern hemisphere winters for the warm, pleasant summers of Southern Africa. Pairs remain together throughout their lifespan. London: Dorling Kindersley. You’re probably wondering how they avoid getting stung. Bouglouan, N. 2020. Cool Facts About the European Bee Eater. It catches the insects in flight. A single bird can eat as many 250 insects a day. They can live up to six years. Across the back they are a mixture of brown and yellow which continues across the crown of the head. From shop FrenchVintagePrints. The throat is yellow with a black collar between this and the blue or blueish-green belly. 5 out of 5 stars (585) 585 reviews $ 25.99 FREE shipping Only 1 available and it's in 3 people's carts. The slender European Bee-eaters measure 9.8 - 11.4 inches (25 - 29 cm) in length (including the two elongated central tail feathers) and have a wingspan of 14.1 - 15.6 inches (36 - 40 cm). Their wingspan is between 44 and 49cm (17.3 and 19.3in) across. Nutrients from the removed soil are made available for other organisms. BirdLife International (2020) Species factsheet: Merops apiaster. BirdLife International. The sharp colors starkly contrast against the striking black beak and mask-like eye bands. Nesting will occur in a colony which may include a few nests or hundreds. As they near the end of their breeding season, they will soon make the perilous journey south where they will arrive in time for spring. They have some immunity to this venom. Their nest is formed in a hole which is dug in an earth bank or sandy ground. The Palaearctic migrants breed in Southern Europe and parts of Asia. It is a very colorful bird, as is common with bee-eaters. Stinging insects are seized in the bill and the tail end of the insect is then rubbed repeatedly against a branch to expel the venom and sting therefore removing the threat these pose. Some chicks return to the nesting site of their parents to build their own nest. While the rest of us have been confined to our respective countries over the last few months, European bee-eaters (Merops apiaster) have been drawing closer to their annual southerly migration. When she is not in the field, she enjoys writing to share her passion, knowledge, and experiences with others. The blue-cheeked bee-eater (Merops persicus) is a widespread species, occurring in Africa and Madagascar through to western Asia. Animal. The face features a black stripe running across the red eye. European bee-eaters have a small level of immunity to bee venom. European bee-eaters have a broad geographical distribution and different migration patterns can be observed between groups. They will fly out to grab these and then return to the perch to eat them. Its nest is a long tunnel. This may be up to a metre (3.3ft) long. Some parts of the insect are indigestible and these are expelled in a pellet which they regurgitate. Humans affect their population through hunting for sport and to remove them from apiary’s (bee farms) where they are considered a pest. And they were often persecuted. A female will lay between 4 and 10 eggs in to the nest. They may be killed by raptors such as the black kite (Milvus migrans), and their nests are often raided by snakes and other reptiles. London: Amber Books. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T22683756A155512816. They happen to have a very interesting hunting approach. At birth the chicks will be featherless and blind. But they also relish butterflies, dragonflies, flying ants, and even wasps! The face features a black stripe running across the red eye. 2019. It can take up to twenty days to complete a burrow. 2019. Both adults work together to raise the chicks. They are also agile birds, able to move swiftly when hunting. Turning rivers in to canals also removes important nesting sites. The European bee-eater is highly vocal making a range of calls including a “prruip” or “pruuk”. [online] Available at: <, Petroelje, T. 2011. European bee eater facts. Their weight is between 45 and 80g (1.6-2.8oz). The European bee-eater is a highly colorful bird. The European bee-eater (Merops apiaster) is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family, Meropidae.It breeds in southern Europe and in parts of north Africa and western Asia. They may be found hunting near other species of bee-eater with which they have little food overlap. That is one lucky lady. During courtship, the call takes on a more melodic tune. Christansen, P.,2019. Wildlife Of The World. Breeding birds are typically brighter than their non-breeding counterparts to enhance sexual attraction. 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