1. European bee-eater – Merops apiaster
European bee-eater is a small bird with a body length of 27-30 cm, a wingspan of 50-55 cm, and a weight of 57 g. In an adult, the plumage of the upper body is bright-green, the bottom of the body is white, there is a characteristic bang on the head. European bee-eater has a long, thin beak with which it can extract bee larvae from their nests.
European bee-eater is common in Europe, Asia and Africa. In Ukraine, it nests throughout the territory, except for the Crimea.
European bee-eater is a migratory bird. It winters in Africa. European bee-eater nests on the banks of rivers, lakes and other reservoirs, among reeds or other coastal vegetation. It builds nests in the hollows of trees or on branches. In the clutch of a European bee-eater there are 4-6 eggs. The eggs are incubated by the female and the male in turn. Chicks hatch after 22-24 days. After hatching, the chicks grow quickly and begin to fly after a few weeks.
The bee-eater feeds on bees, wasps and other hymenoptera.
European bee-eater is a fairly common species, but in some regions its number is decreasing. The reasons for this are the destruction of habitats, poaching and the use of pesticides.
In Ukraine European bee-eater is listed in the Red Book as "Vulnerable".
Photo: Volodymyr Kucherenko