Black-headed Bee-eater
Merops breweri
Large dark bee-eater with elongated central tail feathers. The head is black, the back green, and the underparts chestnut. There is also chestnut along the sides of the tail that may be conspicuous in slow, swooping flight. Generally uncommon and local in forest edge habitat, in swamp forest, around rivers and streams, and in adjacent savanna. Usually alone or in pairs, rarely in flocks. Not very vocal, but does give quiet “preek” calls and soft trills.
Identification
The adult black-headed bee-eater is between 25 and 28 cm (10 and 11 in) in length, excluding the 8 cm (3 in) tail streamers. The sexes are similar and it is a distinctive bird with a black head, green back, wings and tail, and buff breast and belly, with a rufous band across the lower breast. The juvenile has a black chin and throat. The only other bee-eaters living in forests within its range are the black bee-eater (Merops gularis) and the blue-headed bee-eater (Merops muelleri), and these have different colourings and are considerably smaller. The black-headed bee-eater is a bold bird and easy to approach, when the red eye can be seen. In flight, the tail shows green feathers at the centre and rufous feathers at the edges.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Merops breweri
- Authority
- (Cassin, 1859)
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Family
- Meropidae
- Genus
- Merops
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The black-headed bee-eater usually occurs as a solitary bird, as part of a pair or a trio, or after the breeding season, as part of a family group. About half of the diet is made up of honey bees, carpenter bees and other hymenopteran species, the remaining part being beetles, dragonflies, butterflies, moths and cicadas. It is nearly invisible as it sits on a perch in the mid-storey of the forest, but is easily observed as it darts out to snap up some passing insect in flight.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Tricolored Munia
Lonchura malacca
Small, finchlike bird of weedy and grassy areas in tropical lowlands. Often in small flocks, which associate readily with seedeaters and grassquits. Adult is handsome and striking with rusty upperparts. Black head and underparts are cut by a broad white swath from flanks across the lower breast. Note stout gray bill. Juvenile notably plain, buffy brown overall with stout bluish-gray bill. Note the pointed tail, unlike seedeaters and grassquits. Native to Asia and spreading in New World as an escaped cage bird.
Long-tailed Parakeet
Psittacula longicauda
Medium-sized green parakeet with red cheeks and black stripes above the eye and below the cheek. Male is brighter-colored than the female, which has less extensive red on the cheeks and a black instead of red bill. Like other forest parakeets, usually encountered shooting past overhead while screaming raucously. Long filamentous tail feathers not always present.
Marabou Stork
Leptoptilos crumenifer
This huge, macabre-looking stork has a massive dagger-like bill and naked pink head and neck that appear severely sunburned. A white ruff and loose inflatable skin on the neck add to its odd appearance. It soars effortlessly at great heights searching for food; note its white belly in flight. Marabous are equally content in wetlands or in dry bush; they are most frequently encountered lurking near carrion, as they attend kills of major predators and will opportunistically snatch scraps. They also readily scavenge around humans and waste dumps.
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