Bee-eater
The bee-eater is found in Southern and Southeastern Europe. Its closest relative is the African bee-eater, which in turn occurs only in Africa. In Germany, bee-eaters had become extinct. It was not until 1990 that they reappeared at the Kaiserstuhl in Baden and in Brandenburg, for…
Bee-eater - one of the most beautiful birds
The bee-eater is found in southern and southeastern Europe. Its closest relative is the European roller, which in turn is only found in Africa. Bee-eaters were extinct in Germany. It was not until 1990 that colonies of this colorful bird were found at the Kaiserstuhl in Baden and in Brandenburg, but some have also been spotted again in Lower Saxony and the Eifel region.
Food and Breeding
In winter they are in Africa and return to Germany around mid-May. To breed, they dig tunnels about two meters long into loess stone walls and vineyards, but also into earth banks, sand pits or riverbanks. They lay about five to eight eggs. To raise their young, they need a large food supply. As their name suggests, they mainly eat bees. But other large insects such as bumblebees and dragonflies are also part of their diet. Bees and wasps are caught by the rear and the rear is rubbed against a solid object. This causes the venom to be expelled. Only then are bees and wasps eaten. Flies and the like are eaten without any precautions. The bird can therefore very well distinguish between the insects. Bee-eaters take turns brooding. After 20 to 22 days the young hatch and after a further 20 to 25 days they leave the nesting cavity. Both parents feed the young, which continues even after they have left the nesting cavity. The courtship is particularly interesting. The male presents the female with a bee, wasp or dragonfly as a wedding gift. Mating only begins after the female has accepted the gift.
Appearance
An adult bee-eater is about 28 centimeters in size and weighs about 60 grams. The wings are long and the beak is slightly curved. The middle tail feather is noticeably longer than the others, which is not the case with juveniles. On the upper side they are chestnut brown, the wings and tail are blue-green and the throat is a bright yellow. They are very sociable and like to sit on telephone wires or lines. It is certainly interesting to watch their flight displays. Here they shoot through the air like swallows or glide with their wings stretched out flat. The birds like to trill and make calls that sound very melodic. They can be heard from a distance. In September they then fly back to South Africa to spend the winter there.
