Southern Carmine Bee-Eaters

Southern Carmine Bee-Eaters

Description

The bee-eaters are arguably the most attractive family group and the Southern Carmine Bee-eater is the largest of this group, with its breath-taking striking pinkish-red plumage distinctive.

Voice

The call is a loud gro-gro-gro or rik-rik-rik.

Behaviour and habitat

It is a locally common inter-African migrant which arrives in Aug/Sept and departs March/Apr. It is highly gregarious. It prefers open woodland and savanna and its food is a range of flying insects.

It is monogamous and breeds in large colonies. The nests consist of tunnels excavated in high sandy, river banks.