Context

• Recently, the Green Bee-Eater was sighted in the Delhi-NCR region.

About Green Bee-Eater

• The Green Bee-eater (Merops orientalis) is dainty (16-18 cm), bright green in plumage, slender-bodied, with blood-red eyes.
• Its slim lengthened black bill is slightly curved which is a characteristic of an insect-eater (insectivore).
• It will station itself on conspicuous perches like the top branch of a high tree, a shrub, or a stalk of grain or grass, electricity poles or wires and other vantage points.
• Green Bee-eaters are quite widespread and are resident (with slight seasonal movements locally) across the country.
• Its vast range stretches from Mauritania in West Africa, to sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the Middle East and India as far in the north as Nepal.
• Common in all kinds of habitats i.e. wetlands, scrublands and even in densely populated urban settlements.

• IUCN-Least Concern (LC)