Scientific Name: Merops orientalis

IUCN Status: Least Concern

A species that is widely scattered in continental Asia, mostly as a resident but patterns of seasonal migration have also been recorded. They are insectivores in their diets. Known for their distribution in forests and grasslands, this brightly colored bee-eater has a chin and throat that is cyan or turquoise with a black line emanating from the eye in both forward and backward directions. The iris is colored in a bright flaming red while the feet are grey in hue and adults of the species have long tailfeathers.

There are several subspecies of the Asian Green Bee-eater with Sri Lanka boasting two such subspecies: 1. Merops orientalis orientalis and 2. Merops orientalis ceylonicus. The Asian Green Bee-eater is mostly found in plains, but has been recorded from the Himalayas at above 6000 feet. The birds of this species nest in hollow banks, laying 3-5 eggs at the end of a nest tunnel that can be 5 feet in length.

Source: Wikipedia and E-Bird.