Merops orientalis
The Asian Green Bee-eater, *Merops orientalis*, is a striking and agile avian jewel, captivating observers with its predominantly emerald green plumage. A small, slender bird, it typically measures between 16-18 cm (6.3-7.1 in) excluding its characteristic elongated central tail streamers, which can add another 6-8 cm (2.4-3.1 in) to its length, bringing its total to 24-26 cm (9.4-10.2 in). With a wingspan of approximately 29-32 cm (11.4-12.6 in) and weighing a mere 15-20 g (0.5-0.7 oz), it i...
This adaptable species thrives in open country with scattered trees, light woodlands, grasslands, thorny scrub, riverine areas, and even cultivated land and gardens, typically found from lowlands up to about 1,500 meters (4,900 ft) in elevation.
Primarily insectivorous, their diet consists mainly of bees, wasps, dragonflies, butterflies, beetles, and flies, which they catch deftly in flight.
Asian Green Bee-eaters are diurnal birds, highly active during the day, often seen perching conspicuously on wires, branches, or posts from which they launch their aerial hunts. Their foraging strategy is characterized by 'sallying' - darting out from a perch to catch insects in mid-air with rema...
The Asian Green Bee-eater, *Merops orientalis*, boasts an incredibly wide distribution, spanning from the Indian Subcontinent eastward across much of Southeast Asia. Its core breeding range encompasses virtually all of India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan (lower elevations), Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thail...
Least Concern
- The Asian Green Bee-eater is renowned for its method of de-stinging bees and wasps: it repeatedly bashes the insect against a hard surface to remove the venomous stinger before consumption. - Despite their name, bees and wasps constitute only a portion of their diverse insect diet; they are opp...