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Rainbow Bee-eater

(Merops ornatus)
Alternative names: "Rainbow-bird", "Spinetail", "Pintail"; Misnomer: "Kingfisher"
Aboriginal name: "birrubirruu" [yuwaalaraay]
Size: 23-27 cm

Habitat
(for details refer to a field guide)

Rainbow Bee-eaters are breeding migrants to Australia from the north. They can make landfall anywhere along the north coast, from the Kimberleys in the west to Cape Melville in the east. They breed mostly in the south-east (eastern QLD, all of NSW and VIC plus the south-eastern corner of SA) and south-west of the continent, but also in an area between the Fitzroy and Gascoyne Rivers in WA and in the north-western corner of the NT. Outside their breeding season they disperse over large parts of the continent, except the VIC south coast, Tasmania and the most arid parts from the Nullarbor to south of the Kimberleys (basically the eastern half of WA and the south-western half of SA).

Rainbow Bee-eaters are usually found in lightly wooded areas, such as open forest, the fringes of forests or in open grassland, e.g. the semi-arid plains of the interior.

Sightings

Rainbow Bee-eaters are regular summer season visitors to the region where we lived until 2006, 20 km south of Narrabri, NSW. They appear in large numbers, hunting insects in groups of up to 10 at a time. Returned to the Narrabri area after their winter absence in September 2006. Despite unusually high temperatures in the spring of 2007, first seen by us only in late October. Spotted again in the same area in February 2008 and, after their winter migration, in September 2008.

In the 2007/08 season also seen by us 30 km east of Narrabri, in the foothills of the Nandewar Range. They returned from their migration to the north in September 2008.

In 2010 first seen on the first day after a big rain event with associated strong northerly wind, in early September. Similarly, in the spring of 2011 they reappeared after a major rain event in early September.

Rainbow Bee-eaters have also been observed by us east of the Great Dividing Range. In January 2011 tens of birds had their roosts in a mangrove marsh at Urunga Heads.

Photos

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Frontal view of a male Rainbow Bee-eater on a power line

Dorsal view of a male Rainbow Bee-eater preening

Frontal view of a female Rainbow Bee-eater

Here a pair of birds, with the male on the left (with long streamers) and the female on the right; photo courtesy of R. Druce

Rainbow Bee-eater banking before landing (photo courtesy of R. Druce)

Here an immature Rainbow Bee-eater; note the absence of streamers and the relatively pale colours compared to the adults shown above

Breeding information

Breeding season: Sep - Feb Eggs: 4 - 5 Incubation period: 24 - 25 days Fledging age: 28 - 35 days

Nest

Type: Tunnel Material: Soft, loamy soil Height above ground: N/A

Rainbow Bee-eaters do not line their nests.

Entrance to a Rainbow Bee-eater's nest in a paddock

Additional information

See also separate page on building a nest.

Eggs

Size: 24 x 18 mm Colour: White Shape: Rounded

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial Mobility: Migratory Elementary unit: Pair/flock

Seen by us flying very high during their migration, in groups of 10 or more, calling each other in flight. If not for these calls, we would not have noticed them; they were barely visible to the unaided eye. They flock during the migration, but are territorial during the breeding season.

Like other Bee-eaters elsewhere, Rainbow Bee-eaters also hunt in shallow waters, such as e.g. dams, see photo below.

Rainbow Bee-eater making a splash (photo courtesy of C. Kellenberg)

Food

As their name already indicates (and like all other members of the Merops family seen by us in Oman), Rainbow Bee-eaters feed on bees, but also other insects such as e.g. dragonflies. They catch their prey in flight, then take it to their perch where it is killed with a head flick smashing it against the branch.

Here a bird with its prey

Another one after a successful hunt; Rainbow Bee-eaters can fly very tight bends in pursuit of their prey

After catching an insect, Rainbow Bee-eaters will sit on a perch, turn their head to a side and then flip around in a sideways downward movement, smashing the insect against the branch that they are sitting on to kill it before eating it.