Blue-bearded Bee-eater

This Blue-bearded Bee-eater Nyctyornis athertoni was photographed at distance in poor light in the early morning. This was the only bird of this species which we saw in the whole time we spent in Thailand.

Blue-bearded Bee-eater is a large species of bee-eater found in much of the Indian subcontinent and parts of South-east Asia. It is found in openings in patches of dense forest. It is found in the Malayan region and also extends into the Western Ghats in south-western India. The blue feathers of its throat are elongated and often held fluffed up giving it the name. They are not as gregarious or active as the smaller bee-eaters, and their square ended tail lacks the typical “wires” made up of the shafts of the longer central tail feathers in many species.

Blue-bearded Bee-eater is found in a variety of habitats mostly at medium altitudes but below 2,000 metres. Thin to fairly thick forest in medium elevations with clearings is the typical habitat. It is found singly or in small groups of up to three and is very patchily distributed. Their presence in an area can easily be missed.

Reference: Wikipedia