Three hours with Green Bee Eater

Date: 03-Nov-2012

Time: 6.45 am – 9.45 am

On a Saturday morning I was sitting along the coast of river Mula studding Green Bee Eaters for three hours. Made some observations. Documented them with photographs, videos and notes.


Observations: 

• Every Bee Eater has a set of 3-4 perches, he keeps on shuffling around.

• Some perches are shared by more than one Bee Eater during the peak time.

• If the entire perch is available they fine tune their position on the perch.

• The perch is selected depending upon the insects flying nearby. It also depends upon the availability of the perch and the hierarchy.

• General tendency is to pluck Bees/insects from the air, near their perch.

• Their attempts are calculated and decisive. They don’t take a flight if they are unsure about it.

• The success rate varies depending upon individuals. On an average the success rate appeared to be more than 50%, a quantitative analysis is yet to be done.

• An unsuccessful attempt is often followed by another attempt. Second attempt more successful on many occasions.

• They scratch with their legs and clean the feathers with their beaks

• Once the Bee Eaters higher up in the hierarchy had feed themselves, they move away to rest. The younger ones get more opportunities and better positions on the perch then.

• Their long tail helps them to maintain balance while landing.

• They often smash their catch on the branch maybe to kill it. Sometimes this also helps to disorient the bees that are holding tight to its beak.

• They toss up the catch quite often during the process of gulping.

• Bees are more frequent catch compared to dragonflies and other insects

• They take longer time to eat dragonflies as compared to bees.

• Rare behavior seen – Green Bee Eaters plucked up Bees from the water surface. In the below image you can see the wet feathers.

Behavior traits observed:

• Very decisive and calculated 

• Overambitious at times

• Restlessness after a failed attempt

Here is a video of the Bee Eater eating a bee