Rainbow Bee-Eater
Merops ornatus
Aves › Coraciiformes › Meropidae › Merops
Conservation status: least_concern
The Rainbow Bee-Eater is a vibrant aerial insectivore commonly found across tropical woodland edges and coastal regions. As a species within the Meropidae family, it exhibits highly acrobatic foraging behavior by rapidly catching flying insects in mid-air.
How To Identify
It possesses striking iridescent plumage, characterized primarily by deep sapphire or indigo blue feathers, which are often contrasted with bright yellow markings on the chest and wings. The bird is built for flight, appearing slender and elegant with a distinctive tail.
Habitat
It typically inhabits open woodlands, grasslands, and scrublands in tropical and subtropical regions of Australia and nearby areas.
Behaviour
Rainbow Bee-eaters are aerial insectivores that catch flying insects mid-flight with remarkable agility, often seen hovering and diving from exposed perches.
Did You Know?
Rainbow Bee-eaters are among the most colorful bee-eaters, with plumage displaying vibrant greens, blues, yellows, and reds. They have a specialized ability to remove the stings from bees before swallowing them by rubbing the bee against a branch.
Create a free account to log your sightings of the Rainbow Bee-Eater, see where it has been recorded near you and build your Wild List.
Privacy · Terms · Impressum · Credits · About the beta