Swallow-tailed bee-eater
| Swallow-tailed bee-eater | |
|---|---|
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| M. hirundineus hirundineus Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa | |
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| M. hirundineus chrysolaimus Senegal | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Coraciiformes |
| Family: | Meropidae |
| Genus: | Merops |
| Species: | M. hirundineus
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| Binomial name | |
| Merops hirundineus Lichtenstein, AAH, 1793
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| Synonyms | |
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The swallow-tailed bee-eater (Merops hirundineus) is a
Description
This species, like other bee-eaters, 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. It can reach a length of 20–22 cm, including the long forked green or blue feathers. Sexes are alike.[2]
Distribution and habitat
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.
Behaviour
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.[2]
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.[2]
References
- . Retrieved 11 November 2021.
- ^ S2CID 216191523. Retrieved 18 January 2022.)
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
External links
- Swallow-tailed bee-eater - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds.
