Asian Green Bee-eater

A small, dainty bee-eater of open woodlands, farmland, and sparse human habitation. Mainly green with a bluish throat, slender black eye mask and throat band, rufous or slightly rusty crown and back of the neck, and central tail streamers. Juveniles are duller than adults and lack the long tail feathers. In flight, note the rusty underwing with a black trailing edge. Flies gracefully as it catches insects and other prey. Calls are a series of gentle liquid trills or more staccato notes.

In Sri Lanka, the Asian Green Bee-eater can be found in open areas like grasslands, farmlands, and lightly wooded regions, particularly in national parks like Yala National Park, where they are often seen perched on branches or wires, hunting insects in the open landscape; this species is well adapted to semi-arid habitats throughout the island.

In Sri Lanka, the Asian Green Bee-eater primarily feeds on flying insects, particularly bees, wasps, and ants which are part of the Hymenoptera order, making them a key component of its diet; they also occasionally eat small beetles, moths, butterflies, and dragonflies, capturing their prey on the wing from open perches.