Here the feathers on the back are ruffled showing the gray bases to the green feathers. The rump and undertail coverts are a deep blue in this colorful species. The white front refers to the forehead.
This colorful bird was guarding a hole excavated in a dirt road-cut. It was part of a small colony of about six birds foraging in the area. This species is near the northern limit of its range in tropical Africa. They are locally distributed in the area and these are the only ones we saw on our recent visit to Tanzania.
Bee-eaters use their long pointed bills to dig out nesting cavities. The long bill also facilitates removing bee-stingers while keeping prey at a distance. The bee or wasp is held in the tip of the bill while the stinger is rubbed against a perch until the venom and sting are discharged. Bee-eaters are in their own family, the Meropidae, allied with the todies, motmots and kingfishers in the suborder Alcedini.
Nikon P510