| Line 8: | Line 8: | ||
Sub-Saharan [[Africa]], [[Senegal]], [[The Gambia]], [[Ethiopia]], the Nile valley, western [[Arabia]], [[Asia]], [[India]] and [[Vietnam]]. | Sub-Saharan [[Africa]], [[Senegal]], [[The Gambia]], [[Ethiopia]], the Nile valley, western [[Arabia]], [[Asia]], [[India]] and [[Vietnam]]. | ||
| − | ==Taxonomy== | + | ==Taxonomy======Subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>==== |
| + | |||
| + | Merops orientalis viridissimus Savanna of [[Senegal]] to [[Eritrea]], [[Ethiopia]] and w [[Sudan]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | Merops orientalis flavoviridis Subdesert steppes of [[Chad]] to [[Red Sea]] coast of [[Sudan]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | Merops orientalis cleopatra Nile Valley (Lake Nasser to delta) | ||
| + | |||
| + | Merops orientalis cyanophrys Arabian Peninsula | ||
| + | |||
| + | Merops orientalis najdanus Central Arabian plateau | ||
| + | |||
| + | Merops orientalis beludschicus North end of Persian Gulf to Baluchistan and w [[India]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | Merops orientalis orientalis Rann of Kutch to [[Bangladesh]] and [[Sri Lanka]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | Merops orientalis ferrugeiceps Assam and [[Myanmar]] to [[Vietnam]] | ||
==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
Revision as of 21:08, 24 July 2009
- Merops orientalis
Identification
16-18cm. Green upper parts, but the head and underpart colours vary widely depending on the subspecies. The wings are green and the beak is black. Sexes are alike.
Distribution
Sub-Saharan Africa, Senegal, The Gambia, Ethiopia, the Nile valley, western Arabia, Asia, India and Vietnam.
Taxonomy======Subspecies[1]==
Merops orientalis viridissimus Savanna of Senegal to Eritrea, Ethiopia and w Sudan
Merops orientalis flavoviridis Subdesert steppes of Chad to Red Sea coast of Sudan
Merops orientalis cleopatra Nile Valley (Lake Nasser to delta)
Merops orientalis cyanophrys Arabian Peninsula
Merops orientalis najdanus Central Arabian plateau
Merops orientalis beludschicus North end of Persian Gulf to Baluchistan and w India
Merops orientalis orientalis Rann of Kutch to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
Merops orientalis ferrugeiceps Assam and Myanmar to Vietnam
Habitat
Open country with bushes.
Behaviour
Diet includes insects, especially bees, wasps and ants, which are caught in the air. Before eating its meal, a bee-eater removes the sting by repeatedly hitting the insect on a hard surface.
Nest are made in a tunnel in sandy banks. 4 to 8 spherical white eggs are laid and incubated by both the male and the female.
