Bee-eaters (Meropidae)
Rainbow Bee-eater (Merops ornatus) - HBW 6, p. 338
French: Guêpier arc-en-ciel
German: Regenbogenspint
Spanish: Abejaruco Australiano
Other common names: Rainbowbird, Australian Bee-eater
Taxonomy: Merops ornatus Latham, 1801, New South Wales.
Taxonomically isolated, but thought to be distantly derivative of the superspecies that comprises M. persicus, M. superciliosus and M. philippinus. Monotypic.
Distribution: Breeds in Australia, including Rottnest I and SW islands in Torres Strait, and in E Papua New Guinea (at least Port Moresby area and Ramu Valley); possibly also in E Lesser Sundas. S populations winter in N of breeding range, mainly in and around New Guinea; also W throughout Wallacea.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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A bird eating a butterfly Locality Beresford Springs, South Australia, Australia (Monotypic species)
Geoffrey Dabb 31 July 2005 6 years ago 10 sec 4.7 -
Two birds on a branch Locality Cocoparra National Park, New South Wales, Australia (Monotypic species)
Geoffrey Dabb 30 September 2004 6 years ago 20 sec 4.6 -
A bird feeding on an insect and then trying to catch another from a branch Locality Beresford Springs, South Australia, Australia (Monotypic species)
Geoffrey Dabb 31 July 2005 6 years ago 19 sec 4.6 -
A bird on different branches Locality Cocoparra National Park, New South Wales, Australia (Monotypic species)
Geoffrey Dabb 30 September 2004 6 years ago 40 sec 4.5 -
Immature birds watching for insects to catch. Locality Shepards Lookout, Woodstock Nature Reserve, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Stephen Wallace 24 February 2012 1 year ago 2 min 1 sec 4.3 -
A bird perched on a barbed wire, looking for a prey Locality Billabong Creek, Walbundrie, New South Wales, Australia (Monotypic species)
Matt Weeks 25 January 2005 6 years ago 8 sec 4.2
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Rainbow bee-eater pauses during migration northward for winter
Locality Tharwa, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Margaret Leggoe 15 March 2011 51 weeks ago 4.5 -
Spectacular Bee-eater - the only species found in Australia
Locality Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
David Taylor 2 years ago 4.5 -
adult bird on branch
Locality Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
David Taylor 1 July 2008 2 years ago 4.4 -
Bird perched
Locality Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Chris and Megan Perkins 2 November 2007 4 years ago 4.3 -
Adult Rainbow Bee-eater on a branch
Locality Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
David Taylor 1 January 2008 2 years ago 4.2 -
Adult bird hunting from a fence.
Locality Pardoo, Western Australia, Australia (Monotypic species)
Graham Little 20 August 2011 17 weeks ago 4.2
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Several birds calling from a dead branch. Locality Minjungbal Reserve, Tweed Heads, New South Wales, Australia
(Monotypic species)
Nick Talbot 22 August 2012 37 weeks ago 0
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