Sinhalese : RANILLA or
AMBEYA
Tamil : KATTALAN-KURUVI or
PANCHANKAM
RECOGNITION—Length
about 12 inches; sexes alike ; distinguishable by its bronzy bluish-green
plumage, broad black eye-streak, long, slender, curved beak and elongated
central tail-feathers.
Gliding gracefully on extended wings, circling low hither
and thither, snapping up a dragon-fly here, a bee or other flying insect there,
The gay Blue-tailed Bee-eater sails glider-like over the still waters and
grassy flats beside many a tank and lagoon during the winter months. But it is
a true migrant and returns northwards during the summer to breed. In early
October small flocks appear, for the most part flying leisurely south wards, in
loose formation, keeping in touch by calling freely to one another with their
rather mellow, attractive “ teerp, teerp”. On reaching their winter quarters,
they quickly spread themselves over the countryside, choosing chiefly the
vicinity of water where bees and other winged insect abound. Although they often alight on some dead branch,
convenient stick or post, to rest before launching out again in pursuit of
there winged prey—bees, butterflies, dragon-flies, such like insects. Towards
evening they flock to some communal roost in a clump of bamboos or bushy trees.
DISTRIBUTION---This Bee –eater is common over most of
the Island from October to April but returns to India to breed. But the little Green
Bee-eater, a smaller, Headed Bee-eater, short-tailed, brilliant-headed
and also a resident, with similar habits, are plentiful through out the year.
NESTING---Like other Bee-eaters, it lays its eggs on
the soil in a rounded chamber at the end of a tunnel, several feet in length,
excavated in the side of a bank or mound. The 4 or 5 nearly spherical white
eggs are glossy and hard in texture; they measure about 23.2x20.1 mm.
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