Elegant Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater

The blue-tailed bee-eater is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family. It breeds in southeastern Asia. It is strongly migratory, seen seasonally in much of subcontinent. This bee-eater is very colorful. It's dominant color is green and the tail is blue and the beak is black. It can reach a length of 23–26 cm, including the two elongated central tail feathers. A summer visitor of Pakistan and Himalayan States; common in Pakistan from Apr to Oct.

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This is a bird which breeds in sub-tropical open country, such as farmland and parks. It is most often seen near large waterbodies. This bee-eater eats insects, especially bees, wasps and hornets, which are caught in the air by sorties from an open perch. Not globally threatened (Least Concern).

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Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater probably feeds on bees and dragonflies in roughly equal numbers. The insects that are caught are beaten on the perch to kill and break the exoskeleton.

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These bee-eaters are gregarious, nesting colonially in sandy banks or open flat areas. They make a relatively long tunnel in which 5 to 7 eggs are laid. Both the male and the female take care of the eggs.

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I took these pictures near Islamabad where a large colony of bee-eaters had been living for some time. Because of rapid constructional work going on in the area they are losing their habitat rapidly. Hope some wildlife department will take some necessary action and save their natural environment. As this beautiful creature must be saved for our coming generations.

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