Nature lover, this article will show you everything relevant about the European bee-eater whose scientific name is Merops apiaster.
By way of introduction we can say that this fabulous European bee-eater is extremely colorful, as much as a rainbow and well, its name has been attributed to it because it loves to feed on bees although it is not the only thing it eats, in general it is an insectivorous bird, which means that it does not waste any flying insect that crosses its path. Even though it is not an endangered bird, the European bee-eater has certain threats or enemies, such as beekeepers and barnkeepers or farms where there are slopes or stone or clay-type walls on which European bee-eaters build their nests and even the use of insecticides is something that affects them because they run the risk of eating a poisoned insect.
As you will see in the following sections, the European bee-eater is an interesting bird with its tricks up its sleeve or striking qualities.
We also invite you to read a little about the common bee-eater
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The European bee-eater and its traits
Let’s start by mentioning among the features of the European bee-eater its size, which is between between twenty-five and thirty centimeters in length. Then, what stands out the most about the European bee-eater is its colorful appearance, showing blue feathers underneath and above a color like brown and yellow at the same time, yellow is its neck and has a long curved beak. While the area of the pileus and the nape of the neck is brown with yellow tones on the back, the obispillo and the scapulars.
When we speak of the European bee-eater it is necessary to mention that this magnificent bird is in summer when it cheers up Europe with its melodies and its colorful presence that resembles the rainbow and the reason for its long bill and red eyes lies in its character as an insect-eating bird. Continuing with the description of the European bee-eater we can say that when it is adult it has the two feathers in the middle of its tail longer or more protruding than the others and its flight is very agile and spectacular, if the bee-eater feels currents of air does not hesitate for a moment and starts to glide as if it were modeling and the best of all is that it does not have to make an effort to look sensational.
You could also read about the characteristics of the white pigeon
European bee-eater plus characteristics
Regarding the wingspan of the European bee-eater, it is known to be between thirty-five and forty centimeters, its weight on the other hand is between fifty and seventy grams. Normally the European bee-eater moves or formed by a large group of pairs.
Distinguishing the male from the female European bee-eater is not very easy, as both look the same to the naked eye.
However, some people say that female European bee-eaters are greener and European bee-eaters young are paler with the black line delimiting their throat a little fuzzy, not very uniform.
The European bee-eater is catalogued as a professional or specialist hunter of flying insects, they eat butterflies, dragonflies, wasps, bumblebees etc. And even insects with stingers and venom do not escape him because the European bee-eater is so cunning that when it encounters such an insect, it throws it several times until it is knocked down or the sting is detached from its body and then it proceeds to engulf or swallow it.
Another article that we recommend you to read is the one about the characteristics of the condor
Continue learning about the European bee-eater
A relevant aspect of the European bee-eater is that it resembles swallows because it is a migratory bird, because the European bee-eater travels to Europe in summer to breed and feed, but when winter arrives it returns to its true home in tropical Africa. It is very curious the way in which the male European bee-eater conquers the female, the courtship consists of providing her with food, i.e. insects which she can get without much not exceeding fifteen hundred meters above sea level.
The nests of European bee-eaters are built by the female and the male, who with their beaks manage to dig and with their feet stir the earth and take a few two weeks making them, each nest is like a gallery that goes from fifty to two hundred centimeters, this one does not have any kind of lining and is not the neatest because they do not bother to clean the excrement of the young, for which reason this nest will not be used again in the future, although this does not prevent the animal world from opting for On the other hand, each female European bee-eater lays no more than six eggs, and what is striking is that she does not that ensures the life of the first chicks in case food becomes scarce.
More facts about the European bee-eater
The time it takes for the eggs of the European bee-eater to hatch is no more than twenty days, and for the eggs to hatch, the to take their first flight, they are expected to be four weeks or one month old, which coincides with the month of July.
Once the young European bee-eaters are in flight, they start foraging with their parents and prepare for the flight to Africa.
Without further reference to the European bee-eater, we are leaving so that you can know a little bit about the to which group the birds belong
