Bee-Eaters​—Multicolored Acrobats of the Skies

By Awake! writer in Spain

IMAGINE a family of birds whose feathers reflect practically every color of the rainbow. In flight, they can outmaneuver some of the fastest insects. And some of them are among the few species of birds that form family clans in which relatives help one another to rear the young. These are just three of the many fascinating traits of bee-eaters.

It is the colorful appearance of these birds, however, that first attracts the attention of bird-watchers. Many insect-eating birds have drab colors and pass unnoticed. But bee-eaters provide an unrivaled display of color and aerial artistry that few bird-watchers will ever forget. Their plumage comes in bright greens, blues, reds, and yellows. Some species, such as the European bee-eater, have all these colors and more! And an Australian species has been aptly named the rainbow bee-eater or the rainbow bird.

Bee-eaters perform their show in many parts of Africa, Asia, Australia, and southern Europe. Since they are rarely seen in captivity, this is a spectacle that must be enjoyed in the wild. “Watching these bold and energetic birds is hugely entertaining,” notes the online publication Wildwatch. “Because many species are quite relaxed in the presence of man, photographic opportunities come readily.”

Extraordinary Flying Feats

Bee-eaters specialize in catching insects on the wing. And since they prefer large, fast-flying insects, such as bees, wasps, and hornets, they have to be both quick and agile. Keen eyesight also helps. The European bee-eater can spot a bee or a wasp a hundred yards [100 m] away. *

To catch their prey, some bee-eaters use a dive-bombing  technique, swooping down on the insect from above. Or more commonly, they perch on a prominent branch and dart out to snatch a passing insect. Other species employ an even more demanding technique. First they fly down behind and below the insect on its blind side​—often almost touching the ground. Then they accelerate slightly, raise their head, and pluck the insect out of the air with their long beak.

Certain African bee-eaters enlist the help of others in their search for food. They may fly alongside large animals, other birds, or even vehicles that help stir up insects they can catch. The bold carmine bee-eater will even hitch a ride on the back of an ostrich, a goat, or a zebra. These hosts not only offer convenient perches for the bee-eater but also disturb locusts or grasshoppers on which it can feed. Bushfires also attract large flocks of carmine bee-eaters, which gorge on the grasshoppers as they try to escape the flames. *

Sunbathing, Preening, and Washing

Fast flight requires feathers in optimum condition, and the bee-eater has a whole range of techniques designed to remove parasites and keep its plumage clean. This is no trivial matter. A typical bee-eater will dedicate 10 percent of its day to this “comfort behavior.”

Sunbathing may warm the bird up in the morning, and it often accompanies preening. The heat of the sun apparently makes the parasites more active and easier to remove. Some species of bee-eaters like to sunbathe collectively, whereby several birds adopt a similar posture. With their backs facing the sun and their wings outspread, they seem to mimic a group of tourists lounging on a beach.

Washing is less frequent and usually takes the form of a quick dip in the water during flight. In dry areas bee-eaters must make do with a dust bath. Afterward, the birds invariably spend time preening their feathers and scratching. This daily routine is the principal way they eliminate parasites, which are a constant problem for earth-hole nesters, such as bee-eaters.

Keeping Company

Most bee-eaters have a very gregarious nature. Several species breed in large colonies, some of which may number as many as 25,000 birds. These sites are often situated on large sandy banks, where the birds can easily excavate their holes. The colonial nesting sites give them extra protection from predators, and their close cooperation  enables them to locate an area with a plentiful food supply quickly. Even when foraging, the sociable bee-eaters keep together, maintaining contact with their penetrating calls.

In some species, such as the white-fronted bee-eater, the extended family collaborates in chick rearing. * Helpers are usually the offspring of the parent birds, and their cooperation ensures that twice the number of chicks can be reared successfully. “Helpers assist in all reproductive duties: they help to dig the nest, incubate the eggs and, most importantly, to feed the young,” explains the book Kingfishers, Bee-Eaters and Rollers.

Family groups of bee-eaters are particularly fond of perching together. Each bird roosts so close to the next that they give the impression that they are all determined to squeeze into the same photograph. Sometimes several birds will shuffle up to one another on the same twig. This custom doubtless helps them to conserve body heat during cool nights.

Attractive Birds With One Weakness

Recently, bee-eaters have begun to specialize in eating locusts, especially in West Africa, where destructive migratory locusts are abundant. The carmine bee-eater has even modified its breeding and migratory behavior to take advantage of this plentiful food. It now follows the migratory locusts as they swarm along the Niger River.

Nevertheless, as their name implies, bee-eaters do have a weakness for bees​—their favorite delicacy. So they are certainly not the favorite birds of beekeepers. On the positive side, they also eat wasps and hornets that prey on bees, and in the autumn they feed on old bees that are more likely to infect the hive with disease.

“Today, bee-eaters are widely admired by birdwatchers for their diverse and beautiful plumages,” notes the Handbook of the Birds of the World. Some breeding sites have become a memorable stop for tourists on African safaris.

So if you live in areas frequented by bee-eaters, why not take a little time to enjoy the unique spectacle offered by these multicolored acrobats of the skies?

[Footnotes]

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Little bee-eater, East Africa

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Rainbow bee-eater, Australia

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Somali bee-eater, Kenya

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White-fronted bee-eater, Africa

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European bee-eaters, Spain

A courting scene, with a male offering a crane fly to a female

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Bee-eaters, Israel

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Carmine bee-eaters, Botswana

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Carmine bee-eaters, Botswana

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©kevinschafer.com

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Carmine bee-eaters, Singapore