Carmine Bee-eater

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Carmine Bee-eater
Photo Information
Copyright: Thijs van Balen jr (Pentaxfriend) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 453 W: 23 N: 1318] (5207)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-05-08
Categories: Birds
Camera: Pentax K10D, Pentax fa*4,5 300mm + 1.7x converter, ISO 100, 67mm B+W Skylight KR1,5
Exposure: f/4.5, 1/80 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-05-11 17:02
Viewed: 383
Points: 18
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Kingdom: Animalia Linnaeus, 1758 - animals
Subkingdom: Bilateria (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983 - bilaterians, triploblastic animals
Branch: Deuterostomia Grobben, 1908 - deuterostomes
Infrakingdom: Chordonia (Haeckel, 1874) Cavalier-Smith, 1998
Phylum: Chordata Bateson, 1885 - chordates
Subphylum: Vertebrata Cuvier, 1812 - vertebrates
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata auct. - jawed vertebrates
Superclass: Tetrapoda Goodrich, 1930 - tetrapods
Class: Aves Linnaeus, 1758 - birds
Subclass: Neornithes Gadow, 1893
Order: Coraciiformes Forbes, 1884 - kingfishers, rollers
Family: Meropidae
Genus: Merops Linnaeus, 1758
Species: nubicus J. F. Gmelin, 1788
Scientific Name: Merops nubicus Gmelin


Carmine Bee-eaters or Northern Carmine Bee-eaters are carmine in color, except for its greenish blue head and throat, and the bold black mask-like stripe across their eyes. Their eyes are red and they have a black pointed decurved beak. Their central tail feathers are elongated. Their legs and feet are blackish brown. The sexes are similar in appearance. It is one of the largest species of Merops at 35cm (13.5 in.) long. Young birds lack the elongated central tail feathers and are pinkish brown on the mantle, chest to belly, and flanks.

Diet :
Bee-eaters are insectivorous, eating mainly flying insects. Besides bees, Carmine Bee-eaters feed on grasshoppers and locust. They nest in large colonies in cliffs, usually near river banks, where they dig long horizontal tunnels often eight feet or more long with their bills. Three to five eggs are laid per clutch. The eggs are white and glossy and about 25x21 mm. In a large colony there is the possibility of indiscriminate laying of eggs in any of several adjacent holes. Both parents take part in excavating the nest, incubating the eggs and caring for the young. No bee-eater species is greatly threatened. There is a possibility that some species may be depleted if commercial bee-keeping developed in Africa, as they may be seen as pests to the apiaries. Bee-eaters are known to eat hornets, beewolves and other honey-bee eating insects, so, in the long run, it would most likely benefit bee-keepers not to disturb the birds.

Behavior :
Bee-eaters hunt mainly by keeping watch for flying insects from a perch. The insect is snapped up in the bill, then the bird returns to the perch, where it beats the prey against the perch until it is inactive. A stinging insect is held near the tip of its tail and rubbed on the perch to be relieved of the venom and sting before being swallowed whole. Besides branches, Carmine Bee-eaters use the backs of game or cattle and even large birds, such as Jackson’s Bustard or Storks as animate perches, waiting to catch any insects that they disturb. Carmine Bee-eaters also fly freely to bush fires to prey upon fleeing insects.

"Source."
marhowie, vanderschelden, carper, GLEM, goutham_ramesh has marked this note useful
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To carper: GlasPentaxfriend 1 05-12 18:56
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Critiques [Translate]

Hallo Thijs,
Ik vind dit een heel goeie plek in Blijdorp; veel ruimte en licht.
Goed voor de vogels en de fotografen:-)
Goed gedaan.
Bedankt
Annick

Hi Thijs,
Very nice capture. Good composition and details.
TFS
Wei

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3082 W: 231 N: 5811] (19540)
  • [2008-05-11 21:42]

What a beauty, Thijs. : )
The colors are brilliant.
Great pose of the bird hunkered down.
Nice view of the tail feathers forked out in a V.
Excellent sharpness and exposure.
TFS. : )

De bijeter staat er gekleurd op thijs.
mooie foto, goed genomen, is deze door het glas genomen?
goed resultaat, prettige dag verder.
groet Jaap

  • Great 
  • GLEM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 534 W: 87 N: 667] (5464)
  • [2008-05-11 23:05]

hi Thijs
très belle image d'un oiseau pas facile à saisir. Superbe netteté, détails et couleurs.

tfs
gl

Hallo Thijs,
Deze heb ik daar ook gefotografeerd. Jij hebt hem zonder takken in de achtergrond tegen een prachtige blauwe achtergrond. Die weide daar is een schitterende plek voor fotografen.
Kwalitatief een super foto. Scherpte, kleuren, compositie, allemaal erg mooi.
Groet,
Peter

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1133 W: 259 N: 2406] (10803)
  • [2008-05-12 9:36]

Ha Thijs,

Een fraaie compositie van een kleurige bijeneter, niet te zien dat hij in blijdorp genomen is,bedankt

Paul

Thijs,

Lovely picture. Never seen a more colorful bee eater in my life.

- Murali

wonderful capture, i remember this from by trip to blijdrop last year with you. the composition and colors are excellent looks like you have managed to avoid the net in the bg!
tfs
Goutham

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