Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus)
Order: CORACIIFORMES
Family: MEROPIDAE Bee-eaters
Scientific name: Merops philippinus
English name: Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Characteristic: Size 30 cm. A slender-bodied green bird. Its head and back are dark green, paler green on belly; rump and tail are bluish green. Tail of adult with elongated central tail feathers extending out 6-7 cm. more. Throat is yellow and traversed by a reddish brown breast band. Bill long, slender and black in colour. A dark band runs from the base of the bill, passing an eye to ear region.
Distribution: India, China, Hainan, the Andamans, the Nicobars, the Sundas, the Philippines and New Guinea. In Thailand, it distributes throughout the country.
Habitat: Diperocarp forest, dry evergreen forest and along streams.
Habit: Commonly found as a single individual or in pairs perching on exposed spots such on electric cables or dry branches. This bird prefers to hawk for insect preys in small group. Breeding takes place in the dry season by tunnelling into a steep bank, in which 4-5 eggs are laid. The incubation time lasts 12-14 days.
Status: A rarely encountered resident and migrant.
