The Touching Lives of Bee-eaters

Chestnut-headed bee-eaters basking in the morning sun on an open branch. Shot at the Poomaale Estate, Coorg.

Birds of the same feather flock together. 

We’ve all grown up learning this in school through lessons and stories. While some feathered friends like to fly solo, birds living in groups or ‘flocks’ is a common occurrence. With the spring season came a rise in bird sightings at our Poomaale Collective in Coorg. Our farm team is blessed to wake up every day to the call of the Malabar whistling thrush, the orchestra of numerous bulbuls, or a cacophony of a group of bee-eaters!

Bee-eaters are one of those groups that display a strong attachment to their kind and are found to live in complex societies much like that of humans. Read on to know how these vibrant birds come together, operate and define their place in the ecological world.

Where to Spot and How to Identify Bee-eaters

Bee-eaters are small-to-medium-sized birds that belong to the Meropidae family. They are found across tropical and subtropical regions of Eurasia, Asia, Africa and Australia. They live in open habitats – open grasslands, scrublands, large openings in woodlands – and tend to prefer places with a lot of activity (along the rivers and junctions) as they offer opportunities for food gathering and nesting.

Worldwide there are over 20 bee-eater species, of which 6 are found in India alone. Their vibrant colours make them a hard-to-miss sight during your bird-watching sessions. In fact, you may find this bird casually during your walks in gardens or hikes in open green spaces. Their vibrant plumage resembles some birds from the order Coraciiformes (like kingfishers, rollers and hornbills) – and for this, they’re photographers’ and bird watchers’ favourite! The predominant colour is green – with patches of blue, red, ochre, yellow, brown and purple. In most species, both males and females display similar plumage, unlike in the case of other bird species where the male appears more flamboyant.

Specialist Predators

Well, it’s not too tough to guess what their favourite food is!

The name “bee-eater” comes from their specialised ability to catch bees, mid-flight, in their tiny, but strong beaks. More than a source of food and nutrition, bee-hunting seems to be a lifestyle for this species. They’re so quick in clutching their prey that they can hunt down over 200 bees in a day! Google a bee-eater, and you’re sure to find thousands of pictures with the bird flaunting its kill.

Though bees form a major part of their diet, they also feed on wasps, worms, ants, beetles and dragonflies. Preying on other flying insects seems to be a delightful hobby for these birds as they love to get a hold of their prey mid-flight and flaunt their unparalleled agility. You will often find them waiting patiently for an insect to fly in the vicinity of an open branch. Some even go to the lengths of showcasing themselves as flowers to attract bees, taking advantage of their vibrant plumage. Once they get a hold of their prey, they make use of tree branches or parts of barks to remove the exoskeleton and any stings by rubbing them against the tree’s parts. That’s how they seem to pass their day. However, on rare occasions, they can also be found foraging for small insects or lizards on the ground. 

The Touching Lives of Bee-eaters

Yes, literally. You will often find these birds huddling on an open branch, touching bodies and basking in the sun. They are highly gregarious creatures – meaning they love company and need a social support system to survive in the wild world. You will seldom find a bee-eater in solitary. The group dynamics is one of the most intriguing things about this species.

A typical ‘society’ of bee-eaters consists of male and female monogamous birds who have their own ‘clans’ that span generations. They are high-activity centres where you can hear a myriad of bird calls all at the same time – almost like a bustling neighbourhood. They recognise their family members and neighbours with their distinct calls.

With complex groups come complex relationships. Bee-eaters are no different. A colony of bee-eaters may contain up to 450 birds if the habitat can support it. Although monogamous in nature, bee-eaters are cooperative breeders. Single non-breeding bee-eaters aid pairs in breeding, while some bee-eaters are known to breed in solitary in their burrows. The ‘helpers’ assist the breeders in all aspects of breeding – from helping to dig the burrow and incubating eggs, to foraging food for the nestlings. The helpers also occasionally become the ‘wingman’ for the breeders and help them find suitable mates. Most of the time these helpers are close relatives – unpaired offspring, or non-breeding parents/grandparents.

Ecological & Cultural Significance of Bee-eaters

Beings birds, their main role in the ecological world is that of seed dispersal. Birds share a mutualistic relationship with trees, where trees provide them with shelter and, in return, bird helps them propagate and diversify by dispersing the seed of trees across regions. However, bee-eaters are primarily insectivorous. So they may not be as helpful as other fruit-eating birds, like the bulbuls, in dispersing seeds. 

Here’s a way bee-eaters help plants evolve. Just like many other birds, they help in pollination when they flock from garden to garden by carrying pollen on their feed or feathers. Although pollination may not be as accurate as that of bees or butterflies/moths, it still helps plants grow in beautiful ways. Additionally, the food habits of bee-eaters help keep the insect population in check and protect the trees from pest attacks. 

In some parts of the world, like the Mediterranean shores, bee-eaters are considered an invasive species as they end up feeding on a large number of honey bees on which apiculturists base their livelihoods. And in some other parts of the world, they’re considered a source of pride and come with cultural significance. The shifting notions about these social birds are an example of the complexity of their web of life, as well as the web of life we are all a part of, which is inevitably interdependent. The ecosystem can thrive when we realise that nature is a circle and not a line and that our chances of survival are higher together.