The Green Bee Eater

Green Bee Eater (Merops Orientalis)

The Green Bee Eaters are one of my favorite species of birds. It is also known as “Hariyala” in northern India. I just love watching this bird in my spare time. Every thing about this bird is gracious, whether its her voice which sounds like jingling of tit- tit. For my preference it sounds like she is saying “Tree- tree“. 

 

 

 

The Bill of this word is quite long in comparison to its body. A long bill has an effective advantage for bee eater as it provides safety from its prey’s bites.

 

 

 

 

I love the ornamentation on the body of Green Bee eater. The eyes are as if though it uses Mascara (Kajal) apart from a beautiful neck which is ornamented with a prominent black ‘necklace’. 

 

  

 

 

 

I have always observed that the bee eater is more of a territorial bird. It mounts itself on a perch and is always on a look out for bees and insects in the air near by as soon as any action gets scanned it launches an aerial sortie after its prey snapping it up in its bill and circling back gracefully on outstretched motionless wings back to its perch where the victim is thrashed to death and gobbled up. 

The Asian Koel:

Although I have posted some close up shots of Asian Koel in my previous postings as well, but this time around I could not resist bringing to notice the eye lid of this bird. Just watch closely the two photographs and you will soon figure out how a membrane like eyelid helps wink this bird.