The Colourful Shore-dwellers! by byronbackyard
byronbackyard

The Colourful Shore-dwellers! by

A striking, colourful bird, the Rainbow Bee-eater is medium sized, with a long slim curved bill and a long tail with distinctive tail-streamers. It has a golden crown and a red eye set in a wide black stripe from the base of the bill to the ears, which is edged with a thin blue line. The throat is orange-yellow, with a broad black band separating it from a green breast. The upperparts are green, with the flight feathers coppery and black tipped. The underwings are bright orange, with a black edge. The lower abdomen is blue. The tail is black, including the long tail streamers (during breeding), with a blue tinge.
The Azure Kingfisher is a small kingfisher with a long slender black bill and a short tail. The head, neck, upper parts and breast sides are deep azure blue with a violet (purplish) sheen. The neck has a distinctive orange stripe on each side and there is a small orange spot before each eye. The throat is pale orange-white, grading to orange-reddish on belly and undertail. The flanks and sides of the breast are washed purple to violet. The legs and feet are red.
Canon 50D, EF70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

Featured In: Amazing Wildlife
The World As We See It Or As We Missed It
Let Animals Stay Free
The Wonder of Wings
Australian Wildlife
Artists Universe

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About byronbackyard

Many thanks for checking out my photos, please feel free to give feedback! My wanderings in nature and observations of birds, particularly raptors, is what gives me great joy and constantly reminds me of the beauty and strength of life. My favourites are raptors, I love their freedom, grace, ruthlessness, pride, adaptability and flexibility and I learn much about parenting, protection and blind faith from them.
Please feel free to check out my website:
www.byronbaybackyard.com.au

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Tags

rainbow bee eater, merops ornatus, azure kingfisher, alcedo azurea, shore dweller, australian

Comments

  • trish725
    trish72512 months ago

  • shortshooter-Al
    shortshooter-Al12 months ago

    Wow! A terrific shot Deb.

  • Thanks Al, it’s actually on compilation of shots!

    – byronbackyard

  • withacanon
    withacanon12 months ago

    Whoa!
    beautiful image !

  • Thanks so much!

    – byronbackyard

  • shortshooter-Al
    shortshooter-Al12 months ago

    I was going to ask if it was. Great job Deb.

  • Thanks Al!

    – byronbackyard

  • Larry Trupp
    Larry Trupp12 months ago

    Nice vivid colors

  • Thanks Larry!

    – byronbackyard

  • Trish Meyer
    Trish Meyer12 months ago

    Congratulations on your feature of this wonderful capture !
    I haven’t seen either of these birds … yet …..

  • Many thanks Trish, they are usually near water and are very small and fast!

    – byronbackyard

  • Rookwood Studio ©
    Rookwood Studio ©12 months ago

  • Thanks so much, very happy making!

    – byronbackyard

  • wolfepaw
    wolfepaw12 months ago

  • Karue
    Karue12 months ago

  • Many thanks Karue, very happy making!

    – byronbackyard

  • Dorothy Thomson
    Dorothy Thomson12 months ago

    Many congratulations on your wonderful Feature!! :-)

  • Many thanks Dorothy!

    – byronbackyard