The blue-tailed bee-eater, found through much of southeastern Asia, is yellowish/green with a blue rump and tail and a chestnut throat. Its face has a narrow blue patch with a black eye-stripe.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkeOX4Jyt_o0nTxnYvrRVR_CHqRlLSA8MpMviCLZwV5D0-xd1r0MiePgFso7-RL0i0vnXE0u1uZQ9YTiopekgas3OgonD1S_WAtemnWotReZUt7flxLuvrLGHRKK0AkaQIKSAgDBYZxlc/s400/20+blue-tailed+bee+eater+-+Bundala+NP.jpg) |
No question about this being a blue-tailed. Found in Bundala NP. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8SAfQ6HOwATaa8qjT7yAObBVWaym4Wm8YLiThANABwcj7ZZSguq6WVELkQuSsqGutlAf-ddThxDTjzSa90FUJ3mA83vfSinrOeusjCahVdcbYvrsgQP_MZYp_9hZ4KC3iWwF5UIllIY/s400/23+blue-tailed++bee+eater+-+Udawalawe.jpg) |
Same with this one, found in Udawalawe NP. |
I struggled with wanting to identify some as chestnut-headed bee-eaters because of the prominence of red, but for several reasons ended up deciding they were blue-tailed instead. First, the red was not red enough and as extensive as it should be, and second, many have the narrow blue patch near the black eye-stripe.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-em3959S5eaTP-rjyoKBRc5nGTj7YpoY7XvRVsNatdMYhRj3A6iYT0FO9kWx81Ej5lgek011kalLCgXHKs98Uee9dd_rxabEzVb5tBxezZ7auQLOSIhNas1wzSEtSbU41HK_yJU2avKE/s320/17a+chestnut+headed+bee+eater.jpg) |
This one, found in Bundala NP, was a little more difficult to identify becuase it has pretty strong red and yellow. The blue patch near the eye-stripe does it for me. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6sPCjcnsNo0FPR3ojT-8CfJUMJq27Lq8UQTubjEY_pwvGfOIiEA6hSkpgZwRrlKAtNQShyjw2mBjGWOfHHUQ6K95WhK6hOwwyEDUDJ8CTyR9FuqVV7UarYcPJyY4zBBFs1frDHJHeotI/s400/16a+chestnut-headed+bee+eater.jpg) |
The same bird with a head-on shot showing the yellow. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivr3QfyY03ZlWWRLk3sgrsbr3C2mQTRWiIkZhKD_-CANMfDDXwZKhODlNWcb_YxXOA1o_M2aX1e_xL4XojfPIlmdb-gV_MjJXE-cbx1NeXsuZEx6_Yod9GBd63c6Pz7mpu-SXXoHrBRwI/s400/17+chestnut-headed+bee+eater+-+Udawalawe.jpg) |
This one gave me the most problem of all. It does not have an obvious blue eye-patch. But by process of elimination, decided it has to be blue-tailed. |
They look like something out of a coloring book--so many colors, so beautiful!
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