I admit it, I take huge interest in bird wildlife, and I regret very often that I don’t write more about the truly incredible spectrum of bird species that call our reserve their home. Over 400 species! Amazing.
Uyai took a spectacular photo of a particularly pretty little bird this week: the Little Bee Eater.
While this is a uniquely beautiful bird, it is not rare. It is very common in the sub-Saharan region actually. There have been estimates of between 60-80 million little Bee Eaters in the wild in Africa. They breed usually in bush nature, usually near water. Bee-eaters predominantly eat insects, especially bees (hence the name), wasps and hornets, which are caught in the air by sorties from an open perch. They often hunt from low perches, maybe only a metre high, or even less. Before eating its meal, a bee-eater removes the sting by repeatedly hitting the insect on a hard surface. Clever!
I must take my hat off for this amazing photo. Amazing! Best is to click on the photo below, and a high res copy will open up. Enjoy!
