Little Bee Eater

A sweet little African Bird. This is a "Little Bee Eater". This was one of the smaller birds we saw on a recent trip to Kenya. This is a very common bee-eater and indeed a familiar and conspicuous bird in much of Kenya.

Migration is limited to seasonal movements depending on rainfall patterns. This species, like other bee-eaters, is a richly colored, slender bird. It reaches a length of only about 6 inches, which makes it the smallest African bee-eater. Just as the name suggests, bee-eaters predominantly eat insects, especially bees, wasps and hornets, which are caught in the air by sorties from an open perch. Before eating its meal, a bee-eater removes the sting by repeatedly hitting the insect on a hard surface. Smart, huh?

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Based on derivation from a photo by Gill Merritt. Permission given for full unrestricted use as an artwork reference.

 

This original painting is:

• a handmade item
• 6"x6"x.875"  (7.5"x7.5"x1.5" in frame)
• painted on cradled wood panel
• signed by the artist

 

* NOTE: Image colors may vary somewhat from the original due to natural display differences in computer monitors