Appearance

Rainbow bee-eaters are medium-sized birds measuring 9-24 cm in length to the tail tip and weighing around 27 grams. They have a long curved bill, a long tail and streamers.  They have a golden crown on their head, and their red eye is set in a wide black stripe running from their ears to the base of the bill, which is edged in a narrow blue line.  Their yellow-orange throat has a broad black band separating it from their green breast. 

While the upper parts are green, they have copper flight feathers tipped in black and bright orange and underwings with a black edge.  The bee-eater’s lower abdomen is blue.  Female rainbow bee-eaters are similar to males but have shorter, thicker tail streamers. Juveniles are duller and greener and lack the black chest band and long tail streamers.

Habitat

The Rainbow Bee-eater is widespread throughout  Australia, except in desert areas. They can be found in woodlands, open forests and cleared areas, often near water and farms with remnant vegetation, in orchards and vineyards. They will also use quarries, river banks, cuttings and mines to build their nesting tunnels.

Diet

Rainbow Bee-eaters eat all insects, such as dragonflies, beetles, butterflies and moths; however, they mainly eat bees and wasps.  They have excellent eyesight and can spot a potential meal up to 150 feet away. Once they have spotted their prey, they swoop down from a high perch, snatching the insect on the wing in its long, slender bill. The bee-eater then carries their meal to a perch, where they beat the insect against the perch before swallowing them.

While immune to bee and wasp stings, they still rub them against the perch to remove the stings and venom glands before eating them. Rainbow bee-eaters can consume 700 bees daily, making them an apiarist’s enemy. Conversely, they also keep locusts, hornets and wasps under control.

Breeding

Rainbow Bee-eaters are migratory birds and move north, forming small flocks over winter. However, in spring, they return to breeding their areas.  Rainbow bee-eaters are monogamous and mate for life.  Once they have selected a nesting site in a sandy bank, they dig a long tunnel leading to the nesting chamber and line it with grass. The tunnel can be up to 90cm long.  The female will lay 3 to 7 glossy white eggs, and both parents share the 24-day incubation period and will feed the young.

Threats

Hatchlings are at risk from cane toads, dogs and foxes.

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