Blue-bearded Bee-eater
Nyctyornis athertoni
A large bee-eater which appears greenish overall. Note the bluish-green forehead, the long blue streak down the throat to the breast, and the dull yellow belly with green streaks. It has a dark, heavy bill and a long tail. Its flight is undulating, short, and rapid. Unlike other bee-eaters, it does not soar often, nor does it appear graceful in flight. It can be inconspicuous as it sticks to the mid-canopy of the wooded groves and forests it inhabits. Calls include deep throaty clucks, low growls, and dry croaks.
Identification
This is probably the largest species of the bee-eater family. Adults measure 31 to 35 cm (12 to 14 in) in length and weigh 70 to 93 g (2.5 to 3.3 oz). This species has a large sickle shaped bill and the square ended tail lacks the "wires" that are typical of smaller bee-eaters. The bird is grass green with a turquoise forehead, face and chin. The feathers of the throat are elongated giving it a bearded appearance when they are fluffed out. The belly is yellowish to olive with streaks of green or blue. The peninsular Indian populations are said to be paler green than the northeast Indian populations. Although males and females appear similar, the blue throat feathers of the male show higher ultraviolet reflectivity than those of the female.<p>The species is named after Lieut. John Atherton (13th Light Dragoons, died in 1827) a nephew of Mrs. P. J. Selby who obtained a specimen of the bird. Selby described the species in "Illustrations of Ornithology" published along with Sir William Jardine in 1828. Jardine and Selby described it in the Illustrations of Ornithology (Series 1, Volume 2 part 4, November 1828, plate 58) and the type locality (holotype is in the Selby Collection, UMZC, 25/Mer/7/b/2) was said to be Cachar District Assam by E. C. Stuart Baker but Sir N B Kinnear re-designated Bangalore as the type locality for the species based on the fact that Atherton was posted in Bangalore when he wrote to Selby and noted that he was helped by a French collector (thought to be Leschenault). However the species is rare in that region. Atherton informed Selby that the bird was very rare, found in the thickest jungles, feeding at night and noisy with "curr, curr" calls.<p>The nominate form is found in India and parts of mainland Southeast Asia while brevicaudatus is an insular population from Hainan. A subspecies bartletti from northeastern India, described by W. N. Koelz, is usually considered part of the nominate population.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Nyctyornis athertoni
- Authority
- (Jardine & Selby, 1828)
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Family
- Meropidae
- Genus
- Nyctyornis
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
This bird has a loud call, but does not call frequently. It is also not as active as the smaller bee-eaters. The calls include cackling hornbill like calls, a dry "Kit-tik... Kit-tik" in a series or hollow nasal "kyao" calls. Pairs may engage in duets of cackling and rattling which ends in short purring notes. The flight is undulating and very barbet-like.<p>The breeding season is February to August in India and courtship involves ritual feeding, bowing and tail fanning. Nest excavation may begin a month before the laying of eggs. The nest is a deep tunnel in a mud bank within which four very spherical and white eggs are laid.<p>The species appears to feed mainly on bees. It exploits the defensive behavior of Giant honey bee (Apis dorsata) colonies by provoking the mass release of guard bees which are then caught in the air and eaten as they pursue the bird. Although mainly foraging using aerial sallies, it is known to sometimes glean from bark. They may sometimes associate with mixed-species foraging flocks. Birds have been seen at flowers of Erythrina and Salmalia although it is unclear whether they fed on nectar or insects attracted to the flowers.<p>A blood parasite Leucocytozoon nyctyornis has been described from this species and feather parasites in the genus Brueelia are also known.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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