European Bee-eater Identification
What I look like
The European Bee-eater is about the size of a blackbird.
It is quickly recognized by its colorful plumage.
It has a brown cap, a yellow throat, a black collar, and a black eye stripe.
The plumage on the back is a gradient from rufous-brown to straw yellow.
The belly is blue-green to turquoise blue.
The wings are blue-green with black tips.
The tail is dark green with two elongated central feathers.
Its beak is black and curved.
Juveniles have very little rufous-brown, replaced by pale green.
My songs, my calls
The European Bee-eater has a characteristic contact call. It emits rolled sounds "prrut" that are soft yet energetic.
These are heard in flight, sometimes from afar.
It makes a brief "vut" when disturbed, such as near its nest.
How I behave
The European Bee-eater is often perched.
It is also frequently seen in flight, hunting insects.
Its acrobatic flight resembles that of a swallow.
Its flight is soaring with stiff wings and sometimes rapid beats.
It spends the night in large trees.
It is very sociable, living in groups and nesting in colonies.
How I reproduce
The breeding season of the European Bee-eater extends from May to August.
It produces one brood per year of 4 to 8 white eggs.
Its nest is a burrow dug with its curved beak used as a pick.
The burrow can be dug into the bank of a river or the wall of a sand pit.
To woo the female, the male captures prey in front of her before offering it.
What I eat
The European Bee-eater feeds on "wasps, bees, hornets" hence its name!
It also feeds on other insects like flies, dragonflies, butterflies...
Its beak serves as tweezers for hunting.
Curved downward, it allows for good visibility when grabbing large prey.
It chases its prey in flight before catching it and smashing it against a rock to remove the sting.
It is partially immune to the venom of its prey as it can survive 4 consecutive stings.
During the breeding season, it can eat up to 400 bee-sized insects each day.
It regurgitates the indigestible parts as pellets.
Beekeepers consider it a pest because it feeds on bees that produce honey in hives.
Where to find me
The European Bee-eater lives in dry, sunny open areas, meadows, hedges, bushes...
sandy river banks...
and cliffs.
It is a long-distance migratory species.
From April, the European Bee-eater comes to Europe for breeding.
It is found mainly in the southern France, Spain, Italy, and Central Europe.
In autumn, when its favorite prey becomes scarce, it returns to Africa.
Its expansion in Northern Europe (in Switzerland, Belgium) during the summer is linked to global warming.