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Armenian Name: | Ոսկեգույն մեղվակեր |
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See Plate 37 for European Bee-eater and other similar species
Resident Status: | Breeding bird |
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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. |