The Little Green Bee-eaters (Merops orientalis) are also commonly referred to as Little Green Beeaters, which can lead to confusion with another member of the bee-eater family – the Little Bee-eater, Merops pusillus.
Description
This species, like other bee-eaters, is a richly colored, slender bird. It always has green upper parts, but the head and underpart colours vary widely depending on the race.
Thus, Southeast Asian birds have rufous crowns and faces, and green underparts, whereas Arabian breeders have a green crown, blue face, and bluish underparts. The wings are green and the beak is black.
It reaches a length of 16-18 cm, including the two elongated central tail feathers. These elongated tail feathers are absent in juveniles. Sexes are alike.
Special Skill: A study showed that Little Green Bee-eaters are capable of putting themselves in the place of other animals.
They were able to predict whether a predator at a particular location would be capable of spotting their nest entrance and behaving appropriately.
The ability to look from another’s point of view was usually believed to be possessed only by the primates.
Subspecies, Ranges and ID:
- Merops orientalis orientalis in India – nominate species
- Merops orientalis cyanophrysis is found in Israel and the Arabian region
- Merops orientalis beludschicus (=biludschicus) found in Iran to Pakistan (paler colours with a blue throat)
- Merops orientalis ferrugineus (=birmanus) in Myanmar and Thailand
- Merops orientalis ceylonicus in Sri Lanka is often included within the nominate race
Distribution / Range
It is resident in a belt across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal and The Gambia to Ethiopia, the Nile Valley, western Arabia and Asia through India to Vietnam.
This is an abundant and fairly tame bird, familiar throughout its range. It is a bird that breeds in open country with bushes. In Africa and Arabia, it is found in arid areas, but is more diverse in its habitats further east.
This species often hunts from low perches, maybe only a metre or less high.
It readily makes use of fence wires and electric wires. They are mostly seen in the plains but can sometimes be found up to 5000 or 6000 feet in the Himalayas.
They move seasonally, but little is known. Migration is limited to seasonal movements depending on rainfall patterns.
These birds roost communally, lined up on a tree branch.
Breeding / Nesting
The breeding season is from March to June. According to Bug Guide, this species is well documented.
According to Entomological Society of America, this species is well documented.
Unlike most bee-eaters, these are often solitary nesters, making a tunnel in sandy banks. They nest in hollows in vertical mud banks.
The nest tunnel that they construct can run as much as 5 feet long and the 3-5 eggs are laid on the bare ground in the cavity at the end of the tunnel.
The breeding pairs are often joined by helpers.
They sometimes form small colonies or nests near other bee-eaters. They lay 4 to 8 spherical and glossy white eggs. Both the male and the female take care of the eggs.
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Feeding and Diet
Little Green Bee Eaters are known for catching insects on the fly by performing aerial sallies. The majority of their diet consists of flying insects, especially beetles, and hymenopterans, such as wasps and ants. Orthopterans, such as grasshoppers and crickets, are rarely eaten by them compared to other insectivorous species. They are even known to take Crabs in some areas, especially near water edges. They often return to their perches after capturing prey to smash the exoskeletons or remove stingers before swallowing.
If conditions require flexibility, they will occasionally take small invertebrates or other insects. Indigestible parts, such as chitinous remnants, are regurgitated in the form of pellets.
They scan the air while perched on a low perch, often just a few meters off the ground. They sally to catch insects in midair from this vantage point and return to that perch often after each capture. They are agile and light, so they can maneuver and snatch the insects they want with precision.
Bee-eaters can be a nuisance in many areas. Predation by bees, particularly near apiaries, can cause conflict. The species is not entirely dependent on honeybees because of its wide range of diet.
Vocalizations
The vocal repertoire is modest, but distinct. They are described as trills or contact notes. These calls are made during flight or between mates, or when roosting in groups at dawn or dusk.
The birds will call out loudly to express excitement or alarm at communal roosts before they disperse. The birds’ call is usually soft and pleasant, a trill or gentle chatter which resonates throughout open landscapes at dawn or dusk.
Conservation
IUCN Red List currently gives the Little Green Bee-eater a status of Least Concern. It is so because of its very large range and a population trend that is generally stable or growing. There are also no signs of a population in decline or habitat loss. Its estimated range is over 11,600,000.
This does not mean that it is unaffected by pressure. As its diet is based on flying insects (possibly due to pesticides, habitat loss or environmental pollution), a decline in insect populations poses a latent danger. Conflicts with beekeepers can lead to local persecution in some areas. Urban sprawl, land use changes and habitat changes can all reduce the number of nesting banks or open perches.
This species’ conservation involves maintaining an open habitat, conserving nesting banks that are suitable (either sandy or earthen), reducing the use of pesticides, mitigating conflicts with apiculture and monitoring insect availability.
ConclusionÂ
The Little Green Bee Eater is a symbol of the subtle intelligence, agility and colour of nature. The emerald-colored form that flashes across wires and its aerial acrobatics for catching insects, as well as its willingness to live in human-influenced environments, make this bird more than a pretty little bird.
The combination of its social roosting behaviour, the helper-assisted reproduction, perceptiveness towards observers, and wide tolerance for environmental changes positions it well to survive in a world that is changing, but not without caution. Even widespread species such as thibee-eaterer could face pressure from human land use and a global decline in insect populations.
We can ensure that the Little Green Bee Eater continues to delight birders and play an important ecological role in its vast territory by preserving habitats and reducing pesticide impact, protecting nesting banks and encouraging coexistence with the beekeeping community.
