European Bee-eater . Striking bird about 28 cm in length. Its vivid colors, basically bluish in the lower part, yellowish brown in the upper part, yellow neck and its elongated and curved beak make it an unmistakable bird. Often seen perched on branches and telephone lines and flying in droves.
Summary
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- 1 Geographic Distribution
- 2 Habitat
- 3 Movements
- 1 Voice
- 4 Food
- 5 Playback
- 6 Interactions between species
- 7 Behavior
- 8 Source
Geographical distribution
Distributed throughout most of the Iberian Peninsula . Typically Mediterranean species, very abundant in south-central Spain and scarcer in the northern third of the peninsula.
Absent from the Cantabrian strip and the Pyrenees , as well as from practically the entire northeastern quadrant. It breeds in Mallorca and Menorca but not in the Canary Islands . It is preferably a bird of the plains or plains.
Habitat
It prefers semi-desert areas, more or less wooded steppes, valleys dotted with crops and small forests, being especially abundant in the cliffs and earthy slopes that border the river courses.
It can also be found in clearings in pine forest areas and Mediterranean scrub. It requires soft, sandy and alluvial soils in which the nest can be excavated. In Spain there are colonies of hundreds of individuals.
Movements
Trans-Saharan migrant. The passage of Iberian birds and from the southeast of France is very evident in the center, east and south of the Peninsula. The post-nuptial journey takes place in August and September , with maximum passage through the Strait of Gibraltar in the first half of September .
Birds cross the Strait generally in flocks of 15-40 individuals. The return takes place in April , with birds from early to late March .
Voice
The claim is a characteristic and long-range “pruik”, repeated frequently and issued mainly in flight.
Around the nests you can hear a more guttural and chained voice “ruipruipruipruip”. The alarm voice is a clear “dick-dick-dick-dick-dick.”
Feeding
Strictly insectivorous species throughout the year. It mainly consumes hymenopterans , the coleoptera being the second most important prey. Capture the prey in flight.
Reproduction
It nests in tunnels that it generally digs in slopes, terraces and river cuts, although nests can also be found at ground level. Breeding begins at the end of April and lasts until the end of July .
It makes a single laying, although if it is lost in early stages it can make a replacement laying. The laying size ranges from 4 to 7 eggs. These are short, nearly rounded, white, smooth, and shiny ellipticals.
Interactions between species
It develops intense aggressive interactions with species that reuse their nests, such as the Screech Sparrow and the House Sparrow . An exchange of ectoparasites has been demonstrated between the Bee-eater and the Screech Sparrow as a consequence of the reuse by the latter species of Bee-eater nests.
Chickens and eggs are frequently preyed upon by foxes , bastard snakes , and horseshoes.
Behavior
It usually moves in groups that are easily detectable by the continuous and high calls they make.
