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European Bee-eater
Merops apiaster
| Armenian Name: | Ոսկեգույն մեղվակեր |
|---|
See Plate 37 for European Bee-eater and other similar species
| Resident Status: | Breeding bird |
|---|---|
| Abundance: | Common |
| Length: | 27-29 cm, Wing Span:44-49 cm |
| Distribution Map: | Map 191. |
| Description: | Bright multicolored bird with decurved bill and short central tail projections. |
| Adult: | Yellow throat and brown-red and yellow pattern on upperparts. In non-breeding plumage, blue feathers have green tips. |
| Juvenile: | Green mantle, scapulars, and upperwing; lacks tail projections. |
| Similar Species: | Differs from Blue-cheeked Bee-eater by contrasting color pattern above, brown-red crown, and yellow throat. |
| Behavior: | Gregarious. Agile flight with sudden dives, twists, and turns. Short purring call often heard, but birds can be very difficult to see when flying high. |
| Habitat: | Semidesert, mountain steppe; widespread on migration. |
| Food: | Insects, primarily bees and wasps. |
| Nest: | Burrow in sand or clay bank. |
| Eggs: | 26 mm, 6-7, white. |
