Malaysian birds - The Bee-eater family

Malaysian Birds

45 CORACIIFORMES: Meropidae

Bee-eater

The Bee-eaters worldwide could be considered to come from two subfamilies -1] the bearded Bee-eaters, Nyctyornithinae and 2] the typical Bee-eaters, Meropinae, .

World wide there are 26 species and in South East Asia - 6 species. In Malaysia, we are lucky to be able to spot 4 of these species

As you can see that 3 of the Bee-eaters are in a group of near passerine birds from the family of Meropidae. So are most other species are found elsewhere. The diagnostic features of Bee-eaters are their colorful plumage, slim bodies, down turned bills and pointed wings. Their usual flight pattern of coasting give them a swallow-like appearance when seen from afar. Also common is the black stripe running from the eye to the base of the bill. Lastly, most of them having an extended streamer in tail feathers.

Bee-eaters as their name imply, really eat Bees. But it is not surprising to see them going after and eat other harmless insects especially dragonflies, and also grasshoppers, butterflies. On rare occasions, they may eat small lizards and fish. One important point, 4 species of Honeybees are the top choice of food for the Bee-eaters around the world.

Bee-eaters are somehow programmed to catch flying objects on the wings. The next chance you get, watch them. Bee-eater will catch the insect when the insect is in flight and ignores the insect after it has safely landed. After getting the insect and before eating its meal, Bee-eater removes the sting by repeatedly hitting the insect on a hard surface. This action normally extracts and remove most venom.

Another feature of Bee-eaters, they are gregarious. Each morning and later in the evening when they leave and return to their nests, the sky would be filled with birds gliding across the glow of the day accompanied with incessant calls.

The 3 [Meropidae] Bee-eaters that we see in Malaysia are migratory birds.

Blue-tailed Bee-eater 1