Photo: Stephen Goldsworthy
Photo: Tony Phelps
Bird Description:
If a bird could win best-dressed, the Rainbow Bee-eater would be a top contender. With emerald green feathers, a golden-orange chest, and streaks of electric blue, it looks like a flying gem. You’ll spot them darting through the sky like tiny acrobats, catching bees and other insects mid-flight.
Special features:
They catch insects on the wing, then return to a perch to whack the stinger off before swallowing. Their two long tail streamers trail behind them like streamers on a kite.
Did you know?:
These little show-offs dig tunnels in sandy banks to lay their eggs—a surprising twist for such an elegant bird. If you’re walking by a sand dune and hear high-pitched trills, look twice—you might be near a nesting colony.
View more information on this bird at Birdlife Australia: https://birdlife.org.au/bird-profiles/rainbow-bee-eater
Habitat: Forest, Grasslands, Urban
Location: 1770-Joseph Banks Cons Park Nth, 1770-Joseph Banks Cons Park Sth, 1770-SES Grounds, AW-Town Centre, Ocean Beaches
Size: Small
Type of bird: Kingfishers, Bee Eaters, Rollers