The European Bee-eater is a beautiful bird that inhabits the tropics and can be found in regions of Africa, Asia, and Australia, with a few species found in Europe.


They are primarily known for foraging insects and hunting in a variety of ways. In addition, Bee-eaters are a type of Hummingbird.


Hummingbirds, like other birds, do not have a well-developed olfactory system and rely primarily on vision. Unlike most vertebrates, hummingbirds are sensitive to ultraviolet light at 325-360 nanometers, which is convenient for them to find flowers with an ultraviolet spectrum.


Hummingbirds are solitary animals and pair only during the breeding season. Male hummingbirds of many species are territorial and will vigorously guard a territory centered around a food source.


The male bird usually perches in a conspicuous position and observes around. If an intruder invades the territory, the male bird will hover in mid-air, flash iridescent feathers, and drive the intruder away if necessary. When food is scarce, males will reduce their efforts to drive away intruders. Females also build territories around the nest.


Non-territorial hummingbirds are primarily pinch-route foragers, traversing a field to feed on large flower patches.


During courtship, the male bird will perform wonderful flying skills in front of the female bird. The flying height can rise to more than 30 meters, and then dive to the female bird, and then rise again after diving to the bottom.


To save energy on cold nights, hummingbirds will go into hibernation. During the hibernation period, their body temperature drops by 20-30°C, their heart rate drops to 50 beats per minute, and their breathing becomes irregular.


Hummingbirds in the tropics don't usually migrate, but some do change altitude in response to changes in temperature and seasons. Hummingbirds in North America can travel more than 5,000 kilometers round-trip during migration.


Male hummingbirds arrive first at breeding and wintering grounds, followed by females and young. Some hummingbirds have to gain 50 percent of their weight before migrating to make up for the energy expended in the flight.


Both female and male hummingbirds can make a specific song. The song is usually short and sharp, but some hummingbirds have a long song, like singing. About 90 percent of a hummingbird's diet comes from nectar, and the rest from arthropods, including flies, wasps, spiders, beetles, and ants.


Due to their high basal metabolic rate, hummingbirds can consume nectar equivalent to their body weight in a day. They obtain amino acids from pollen and insect protein. When nectar resources are scarce, they also absorb the residual sap left by sap-sucking woodpeckers.


Adult hummingbirds have few natural enemies. Known predators include snakes, wood falcons, and owls. Nest predators such as bluejays and certain bats are the biggest threats to hummingbird survival.


Overall, the European Bee-eater is a fascinating bird that can be found in various regions of the world and has unique characteristics and habits that make it an interesting subject for study and observation.