Rainbow bee-eater Facts for Kids

Rainbow bee-eater

The rainbow bee-eater (Merops ornatus) is a super colorful bird from the bee-eater family. It's the only type of bee-eater you'll find living in Australia. These birds are known for their bright feathers and their amazing skill at catching insects right out of the air!

What is a Rainbow Bee-eater?
- Where Do They Live?
- What Do They Eat?
  - How They Catch Food
Life Cycle and Reproduction
- Building a Home
- Eggs and Chicks
Appearance and Sounds
- Bird Calls
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What is a Rainbow Bee-eater?

The rainbow bee-eater is a small, slender bird with a long, curved beak. It's famous for its amazing colors, which look like a rainbow. You can see shades of green, blue, orange, and yellow on its feathers. It also has two long, thin feathers that stick out from its tail.

Where Do They Live?

Rainbow bee-eaters live in many parts of Australia. They like open areas like woodlands, grasslands, and places near rivers or lakes. They need soft soil or sandy banks to dig their nests. Some of these birds travel long distances. Many rainbow bee-eaters fly north to places like New Guinea or Indonesia during the cooler months. Then they fly back to Australia when it gets warmer.

What Do They Eat?

Rainbow bee-eaters love to eat insects! Their favorite foods are bees and wasps, which is how they got their name. But they also eat dragonflies, butterflies, and other flying bugs.

How They Catch Food

These birds are incredible hunters. They often sit on a branch, watching for insects flying by. When they spot one, they quickly fly out, catch the insect in mid-air, and then return to their perch. If they catch a bee or a wasp, they know how to remove the sting. They will rub the insect's tail end on a branch to get rid of the venom before eating it. This makes sure they don't get stung!

Life Cycle and Reproduction

Rainbow bee-eaters usually start looking for a mate in late winter or early spring. They are very social birds and often nest in groups called colonies.

Building a Home

Unlike many birds that build nests in trees, rainbow bee-eaters dig tunnels in the ground. They use their beaks and feet to create a long burrow, which can be up to a meter deep! At the end of the tunnel, they make a wider chamber where they lay their eggs. Both the male and female bird help dig the tunnel.

Eggs and Chicks

A female rainbow bee-eater usually lays between 3 to 7 white, round eggs.
Both parents take turns sitting on the eggs to keep them warm. This is called incubation.
After about 20 to 24 days, the tiny chicks hatch.
The baby birds are born without feathers and are completely helpless.
Both parents work hard to feed their chicks, bringing them lots of insects.
The young birds stay in the nest for about a month.
Once they are old enough, they fly out of the burrow and learn to hunt for themselves.

Appearance and Sounds

The rainbow bee-eater is truly a beautiful bird. Its back and wings are bright green, and its head has a mix of green, blue, and yellow. It has a black stripe through its eye and a patch of orange and yellow on its throat. Its long, slender body and pointed wings make it look very graceful when it flies.

Bird Calls

Rainbow bee-eaters have a soft, rolling call that sounds like "prrrp-prrrp." They often make this sound while flying or when they are gathered in their nesting colonies. It's a gentle sound that helps them communicate with each other.