Meet the bee-eaters: India’s dazzling aerial hunters with a taste for bees

The ‘standard’ issue small green bee-eater is a pretty snazzy little bird in its own right: slim, svelte in grass green with tints of reddish brown on its head and neck and central pin feathers sticking out like antennae. Its two larger cousins, the blue-tailed and blue cheeked do have flame blue on the rump and tail and a gorgeous powder blue cheek respectively, and have deeper contralto calls in comparison to the small green’s treble. This colourful charismatic family would make ideal birds for a newbie birder to be introduced to. And yes, true to their name, they do catch bees.

In fact, their bee, wasp and dragonfly catching skills are truly astonishing. Last year, at Carambolim lake I watched chestnut headed bee-eaters at work. From posts stuck in the water they would look around, with a gleeful expression on their faces and then launch high, corkscrewing sallies after dragonflies – the aces of the air as far as insects go – from maybe 30 metres away. This meant that they had to anticipate where the insect would be when intercepted or change direction in a trice if it dodged and jinked. Usually, the insects are snapped up from behind or head on: the sharp thin bill is like a pair of pincers. (Try catching a bluebottle with a pair of pincers and you will see how difficult it is). Blue-tailed bee-eaters were recorded intercepting their victims from 100 metres away. Once snapped, the unfortunate victim is taken to a post where it is bashed to death. The bird will then close its eyes and rub the insect against a branch to squeeze out the poison sac, before enjoying its meal – a procedure it learns for itself while being blooded when young. More than 90 per cent of their victims (225-300 per day) may be bees and wasps, and frankly, you couldn’t ask for a more delicious and nutritious meal – full of sweet nectar and protein rich with pollen. Apiarists don’t like bee-eaters though the birds don’t actually raid the hives, but hang around in flowery meadows waiting for the bees to turn up.

Most species love their own company and hang around in colonies, sometimes 500 strong. They don’t have a problem with private space and may be found huddled together along transmission wires or branches, enjoying each-others’ company. They nest in burrows, five feet deep in sandy cliff faces or dug in the ground, and must be done with bringing up their families before the rains break and floods wash away their homes. Up to five round white eggs may be laid.

At least two species, the red-throated (found in Sudan) and white-throated (southern Sahara), have been found to have social structures more complex than for any other bird species. The colonies are divided into clans, containing two or three pairs and their helpers, They are usually bachelor dudes, who help with the housework and bringing up the chicks. As is with so many species of birds – some hanky-panky goes on too, with gentlemen seeking favours of ladies who are not their partners and ladies depositing unwanted eggs in the nests of others. Some faithful partners stick it out with each other for several seasons. I don’t know what our local green bee-eaters get up to in their private lives, but it just shows that even ‘common’ species, may be extremely interesting to study and reveal all sorts of secret astonishments.

To us, the trilling of bee-eaters may all sound the same but the birds recognise each-others’ individual calls. Bee-eaters love down-time, spending at least 10 per cent of their day either dust or water bathing, or sunbathing, which helps them warm up and makes it easier for them to get rid of pesky parasites. Also, there is bonding of a kind going on, as they all attain the same posture while doing so or as you would say, hamam may sabh nange hote hain.

While some species are migratory others are resident and may move around a bit depending on the availability of food. They are themselves preyed upon by raptors (such as the African fishing eagle raiding a housing colony of carmine bee-eaters), their burrows devastated by rodents and snakes.

We can enjoy the company of these elfin little birds out in open country, fields, parks, along water-bodies and wooded areas and they will never fail to delight you with their sprightly spirit and pixie like ways. Happily, they are not in any danger as yet but with the population of bees and insects plummeting world-wide, who knows what the future has in store for these lovely little birds.