The Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater (Merops philippinus) is a small Asian bird.

The Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater has a predominantly green slender body. Its face has a narrow blue patch with a black eye stripe. It has a yellow and brown throat. It beak and legs are grey-black. Its tail is blue with two elongated tail feathers.

Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater

It grows to about 26 centimetres (10 inches) tall.

The Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater is native to southeastern Asia. It is migratory and flies to India in winter. It prefers sub-tropical open country, such as farmlands, parks and rice fields. It is most often seen near large water bodies, such as ponds, rivers, and streams.

It predominantly eats bees and other insects, such as wasps  and dragonflies.

The Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater lives in colonies. Male and female couples make a long-tunnelled nest. Females lay 5-7 spherical, white eggs. Both the male and the female take care of the eggs.

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM