BLUE-TAILED BEE-EATER (Merops
philippinus) is a near passerine bird in the bee-eaterfamily Meropidae. It breeds
in southeastern Asia. It is strongly migratory, seen seasonally in much of peninsular India.
This species is sometimes considered to be conspecific with the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, M. persicus.
It can reach a length of 23–26 cm, including
the two elongated central tail feathers. Sexes are alike.
This is a bird which breeds in sub-tropical open country, such as
farmland, parks or ricefields. It is most often seen near large waterbodies.
Like other bee-eaters it predominantly eats insects, especially bees,wasps and hornets, which are caught in
the air by sorties from an open perch.This species probably takes bees and dragonflies in roughly equal
numbers. The insect that are caught are beaten on the perch to kill and break
the exoskeleton. This habit is seen in many other members of the coraciiformes order.
These bee-eaters are gregarious, nesting colonially in sandy banks or
open flat areas. They make a relatively long tunnel in which the 5 to 7
spherical white eggs are laid. Both the male and the female take care of the
eggs. These birds also feed and roost communally. The call is similar to that
of the European Bee-eater.[INFO:WIKIPEDIA]
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