The first breeding site of the Blue-Cheeked Bee-eater in peninsular India has been discovered in the saltpans of Aandivilai near the Manakudy Mangroves in Kanniyakumari district.
Scientific Name - Merops persicus.
It is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family, Meropidae.
It is a passage migrant and winter visitor in India.
Appearance – It is a richly colored, slender bird.
It is predominantly green, its face has blue sides with a black eye stripe, and a yellow and brown throat, the beak is black.
Habitat - Found in open areas as well as forests from lowlands up into middle elevations.
Distribution – It breeds across Northern Africa and the Middle East, from eastern Turkey to Kazakhstan and India.
Occasionally, this bird appears as a rare vagrant north of its usual range, particularly in Italy and Greece.
Behaviour – It may choose to nest solitarily or in small, loose colonies of up to ten individuals. It is also known to share colonies with European bee-eaters.
Breeding Regions – Nesting sites are often located in sandy banks, embankments, or low cliffs, and occasionally on the shores of the Caspian Sea.
Its breeding was primarily recorded in regions such as Nile Delta, Pakistan, and Iran while its wintering grounds include parts of Africa.
Diet – Feed on insects preferably dragonflies.
Threats – Habitat destruction, from developmental activities, and anthropogenic pressures.
