Up at La Garnatilla this morning looking down over the hillside, we chanced to see a small group of 6 or so brilliant coloured birds flying about in the sun and landing on the scrub among the long grasses. Their heads were very red with brilliant yellow under their beaksand they had bright golden backs with darker wings. We later identified these as European Bee-Eaters, Merops apiaster, in their bright breeding plumage.
European Bee-Eaters are one of Europe's most colourful birds and they are one of the most aerial of all Bee-Eater species. They have a body length of around 30 cms (12 inches), a wingspan of 46 cms (18 inches) and they weigh approximately 70g (2.5 oz).
They are a slender bird with yellow and brown upper parts, blueish-green underparts and a black, sharply pointed beak. They have two elongated central tail feathers and both sexes are alike.
They are a gregarious species and they feed and roost communally. They also have a very distinctive call, it is a pleasant trill.
European Bee-Eaters are found in open country, woodland and farmland in Europe, Africa and Asia. During the day they can often be see perched on telegraph wire, fences or branches.
They are a migratory species and they spend the winter months in sub-saharan African and western India. During the spring they move to north Africa, Europe and Asia to breed.
They mainly feed on stinging insects like bees and wasps capturing them in flight then removing their sting by rapidly rubbing them on their perch. They eat around 250 insects each day.
European Bee-Eaters breed in colonies and they make their nests in sandy banks, usually near a river. Their nest is a relatively long tunnel and they lay 5 - 8 white, spherical eggs. Both the male and female incubate the eggs and after about 20 days they hatch.
Predators of European Bee-Eaters include snakes and larger birds.
Egg size: 2.6 x 2.2 cms (1.02 x 0.87 inches)
Egg Weight: 6.5g (0.23 oz) - of which 6% is shell.
