As part of its mating ritual, this female European bee eater waits patiently for her mate to plop a juicy bee into her beak. No juicy bee, no deal. The European bee-eater has an unmistakable appearance. In breeding plumage, it has a rich chestnut crown that blends into gold on its back. The forehead is white, the throat is yellow bordered by black, and the underparts are blue. Male European bee-eaters have a chestnut-coloured patch in the middle of the wing, while in females this patch is usually smaller or even absent. Occasionally, females may also be distinguished from the males by having a green back. The wings and backs of juvenile European bee-eaters are entirely green, and the eyes are brown, in contrast to the bright red eyes of adults. ( arkive.org ) This species, Merops apiaster, is migratory and spends the winter in the tropics. Most of the Meropidae are gregarious, and the birds of some species travel in flocks of hundreds or thousands of individuals.
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