European Bee Eaters

These beautiful pictures of European Bee-eaters Merops apiaster (Fr. Guepier d'Europe) were taken by our friend Ingrid near La Roche Posay in mid-July. I think these bee-eaters must be Europe's most colourful avian species!

Photo courtesy of Ingrid de Winter.

It sounds like bee-eaters had a good breeding year and friends in the Pyrenees have reported large feeding flocks going over on their way back to tropical Africa for the winter.

Photo courtesy of Ingrid de Winter.

A very gregarious species, you rarely see just one. You usually hear them making their prrpp prrpp call before you see them too. They nest in colonies in the sandy banks of some of the big rivers here, such as the Vienne and the Creuse. 

Photo courtesy of Ingrid de Winter.

As their name suggests, they eat bees, and studies show that honey bees make up the bulk of their diet. But they don't really pose a threat to apiarists, as they only get about 1% of the managed honey bees. They also eat wasps, hornets and dragonflies, catching them on the wing.

Photo courtesy of Ingrid de Winter.

To catch their prey bee-eaters perch out on a high exposed bare branch and make sorties, bringing the prey back to bash against the perch before eating it. Studies show bee-eaters do best with a mixed diet of bees and dragonflies.

Photo courtesy of Ingrid de Winter.

Photo courtesy of Ingrid de Winter.

Photo courtesy of Ingrid de Winter.

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