The most delightful birds on Earth

For me, bee-eaters certainly rank among the most delightful birds on Earth. They possess startling grace and beauty, as perfectly illustrated by European bee-eaters.  They are probably the most colourful and graceful birds to occur in Arabia, effortlessly catching bees and other flying insects, such as dragonflies, butterflies, cicadas and flying ants. They migrate across Arabia in flocks of 25 or more in spring, after wintering in Africa. They often migrate at considerable height, when they can be difficult to see, but can still be detected by their attractive melodic calls.  Of the world's 26 recognised species, four now regularly breed in parts of Arabia.  One, the little green bee-eater is resident, another, the white-throated bee-eater is purely a summer visitor, while the European and blue-cheeked bee-eaters are both restricted summer visitors, and widespread passage migrants all across Arabia.

Feeding habits

Bee-eaters are large headed, long billed and extremely beautiful birds.  Facial patterns are often distinctive, with many species sporting a black mask (lores and ear-coverts) which makes the bill seem larger and more formidable. They are aerial insectivores, hunting from open perches or during longer flights. Typically perching prominently on fences, telegraph wires, branches or other elevated locations with good visibility, they give chase to almost all airborne insects up to a range of 20 metres. All species can eat dangerous insects such as bees, wasps and hornets, which are rendered harmless beforehand: the tail and sting of the insect is rubbed against the perch to discharge the venom and often the sting itself.

The white-throated bee-eater

There is a remarkable contrast between the breeding and wintering habitats of the white-throated bee eater, Merops albicollis.  Its breeding range is the desert-edge of the Sahel, just south of the Sahara.  Conversely, it winters at the edge of the rainforest zone of the Congo Basin in tropical Africa.  Its breeding range extends in a narrow band of the Sahel from Mauritania across into the Tihama coastal plain of western Arabia.  In Saudi Arabia, I have encountered this elegant species at several locations in the Asir Tihama and foothills, including near Muhayl, Sabya and towards Jabal Faifa.  Typical nest holes are excavated into the bund banks of millet fields in the Tihama, to which it returns in April from Africa. In Africa at least, their typical food comprises largely flying ants. Bees and wasps apparently form only a relatively small part of their overall diet.

Co-operative breeding

Several bee-eaters participate in a process called co-operative breeding, where non-breeding 'helpers' assist the breeding pair in many tasks, from excavating the nest chamber to feeding the incubating birds and the young. White-throated bee-eaters are monogamous and pairs may have between three to five helpers: the largest number for any bee-eater. This may perhaps be an adaptation to tougher breeding conditions in marginal habitats. In Arabia, the numbers that breed vary greatly from year to year.  Studies of another bee-eater in Nigeria showed the benefits of co-operative breeding in terms of significantly increased survival rates of nestlings.  It was found that unassisted pairs fledge 78 per cent of their young, whereas with helpers this can be increased to 95 per cent success. The breeding adults are also healthier and heavier after breeding with helpers, who both provide food for the young and also feed the incubating adults. Many bee-eater species are colonial nesters and have a remarkably complex society involving clans, in which the helpers join parents in rearing the young.

Another desert-edge breeding bird, the blue-cheeked bee-eater Merops persicus is particularly graceful and elegant in flight, because of its long wings and streamered tail and effortless gliding and swooping. It is a large, slim bird with bright burnished green plumage, a black mask, blue cheek stripe and contrasting yellow chin and red throat.  The underwings are conspicuously coppery-coloured.  It is a widespread and common migrant all across Arabia and also breeds locally in Oman and the northern UAE.  Its breeding has been well documented in Oman, where birds return to their previous colonial nesting sites in late March. At most colonies, the one to two metre-long nest is dug horizontally into a sandy bank, but angled tunnels are sometimes excavated into flat ground.  Hatching of the eggs is timed to coincide with the appearance of cicadas, thus ensuring an ample food supply.  Colonies may include up to 100 pairs.  North of Khaburah, the blue-cheeked bee-eater breeds abundantly in fields and wadis, usually within five kilometres of the sea.

Khor-Kalba

Within the neighbouring UAE, breeding was first reported in 1989 near Khor Kalba, close to the Oman border. During a visit to this delightful area in April, I managed to see three of the four Arabian bee-eater species in a single day. The blue-cheeked bee-eater likes to forage from telephone wires, but also uses fences and low bushes.  Especially in early morning, birds often sunbathe in various positions, the most commonly seen being the 'mantle-ruffle' posture, in which the back feathers are fluffed out.

Wadi Jizan and Malaki Dam

One of the most productive locations for birdwatching in Arabia is the Wadi Jizan and Malaki Dam area of southwest Saudi Arabia.  In this area, all four Arabian bee-eaters can be seen, two of which breed. The Malaki Dam structure closes a narrow gap where Wadi Jizan passes between rocky foothills; just below the point of confluence of four major wadis. Constructed to provide year-round water for irrigation purposes and for flood control, the reservoir is fed by major wet wadis and has a very large catchment area, extending south into Yemen.  In this locality, methods of cultivation, sorghum fields and traditional circular thatched huts present a unique African character. This African 'feel' is also reflected in the region's rich birdlife.

The little green bee-eater

The little green bee-eater Merops orientalis ranges from Senegal eastwards to Vietnam, in various different forms or subspecies.  The Arabian subspecies Merops orientalis cyanophrys is perhaps the most beautiful, with its bright cerulean blue chin and throat. This wonderful little bird is a widespread resident in Arabia. It is particularly special for me, as it was the first bee-eater species I encountered, following my November arrival in Jeddah in western Saudi Arabia - after the other three species had already returned to their African winter quarters.  This further kindled my interest in bee-eaters, and fortunately, it was not too long before I had seen all the four Arabian species. The little green bee-eater's habitat includes dry acacia areas and farmland. In Africa, flying ants are the most commonly reported food. Pairs breed singly and helpers have not been recorded.

The European bee-eater

The European bee-eater Merops apiaster is the most beautiful of the Arabian bee-eaters. With vivid harlequin plumage, it is unmistakable. It is mainly blue-green, with a chestnut head and mantle and a yellow throat. Its vernacular English name reflects a primarily European plus west Asian breeding range, but it also breeds in South Africa's Cape province. It now also breeds sparingly in Oman and the UAE, sometimes in association with the blue-cheeked bee-eaters. A more descriptive name would be golden bee-eater, its local name in the former Soviet Union. Indeed, its distinctive golden-yellow back and rump make it easy to distinguish from all other bee-eater species. Its flight note is a distinctive and melodic liquid and throaty sound. The European bee-eater is a colonial bird and some 20 per cent of the breeding pairs have helpers. It forages mainly by hawking from telegraph wires or dead tree branches, from which two-thirds of its pursuits of aerial insects are normally successful.

Sunny plains and hillsides

Generally regarded as a bird of the Mediterranean, the European bee-eater shows a clear preference for a warm temperate climate, where it inhabits sunny plains and hillsides and also open wooded areas, such as olive groves and cork oak stands. Studies have shown that its northerly breeding range coincides roughly with the 21 degrees centrigrade July isotherm. Consequently, it rarely reaches England, but there have been isolated cases of successful breeding there in recent years, much to the delight of the extremely active bird watching community in that country. In the UAE and Oman, these birds breed together with blue-cheeked bee-eaters, where colonies are sometimes located in old well shafts.

Migration

European bee-eaters pass through Arabia during both their spring and autumn migrations. In Dhahran in eastern Saudi Arabia, spring passage extends from late March until mid May, and autumn return passage from mid August to late September. This migration is probably mirrored across many parts of Arabia, although the precise timing is probably a function of latitude and actual migration paths. So, in many regions, it is possible to enjoy the bee-eater migration spectacle for at least 12 weeks each year. April is the best time to see the greatest numbers, which are then also in their pristine and brightest breeding plumage. Although I have photographed this species many times over the years, April 2004 provided the best photographic opportunities yet, when I managed to get images of two birds perched close together, revealing both front and back views