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Pair Rainbow Bee eaters (66)
darwin
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 252 W: 0 N: 465]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif) (1756) | Rainbow Bee-eater
Merops ornatus
The Rainbow Bee-eater is mostly turquoise green with a black line through its eye like a bandit, and another under its yellow throat. With its long black beak it really does catch bees, beating them on a branch until they can no longer sting before tossing them down. It catches most of its insect food while flying from trees or low shrubs.
When building a nest the Rainbow Bee-eater gets away from the light altogether. It digs a long tunnel in a bank and lays four to five eggs in a chamber at the end. In southern Australia it is too cold for bee-eaters in winter so they fly north to New Guinea. |
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