My ears picked up a bird call that was not usual at our location so I grabbed the camera and went to see if I could locate the caller. My luck was in, as it did not take any time to find my photo subject. On our powerline a Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus was perched ready to swoop on any insects flying by.
The tail streamer is an immediate indicator to it being a male and then I noticed the female a bit further away on a eucalyptus branch.
I have seen Rainbow Bee-eaters in our area occasionally but this pair was the first I have seen on our property.
Of the 24 species of Bee-eaters in the Merops Genus found worldwide, the Rainbow Bee-eater is the only one found in Australia. Found in all states other than Tasmania, they are migratory spending the winter months in the north and into New Guinea, Indonesia and as far as the Solomon Islands.
As the name suggests they do have bees as a favourite food source but also wasps and other insects are taken on the wing.
A wonderful photo Ian of a beautiful bird. Have only ever seen one species of bee-eater here in England and that was a failed nesting attempt last year in Nottinghamshire. It was a wonderful experience to see the birds although such a shame the birds failed to raise young.
ReplyDeleteI was quite excited to find this pair to add to our species list seen on the property. The bonus was getting the photos. Your sighting of bee-eaters in England is probably an even rarer event as their range is shown as around the Mediterranean region of Europe.
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