Winfried Wisniewski / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) pair, Pleven, Bulgaria

Staffan Widstrand / Pair of Eurasian bee-eaters (Merops apiaster) perched on branch, Pusztaszer reserve, Hungary. May.

Mateusz Piesiak / European bee-eater (Merops apiaster) two perched on branch, Lower Silesia, Poland.

Guy Edwardes / Little bee-eater (Merops pusillus) vocalising whilst perched on branch, Khwai, Botswana.

Andres M. Dominguez / Bee-eater (Merops apiaster), Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, southern Spain, July.

Bence Mate / Eurasian bee eater (Merops apiaster) dust bathing in sand, Pusztaszer, Hungary, May.

Bence Mate / European bee eaters (Merops apiaster) one taking off another perched, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary. May.

Wim van den Heever / White-fronted bee-eaters (Merops bullockoides) perched near to nesting holes Chobe National Park, Botswana.

Wim van den Heever / Little bee eaters (Merops pusillus) two, with one landing on branch with a fly in its beak. Okavango Delta, Botswana

Roger Powell / Pair of European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) on a bank above their nest hole in front of flowers. Note regurgitated pellets of insect remains. Alentejo, Portugal, April.

Roger Powell / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) with a bee landing on a branch by its mate. Alentejo, Portugal, May.

Roger Powell / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) courting a female by offering her a Small Copper butterfly (Lycaena phlaeas). Alentejo, Portugal, April.

Theo Allofs / Little Bee-eater (Merops pusillus) group, Moremi Game Reserve, Okavango Delta, Botswana

Richard Du Toit / Burchell's Zebra (Equus burchellii) and Carmine Bee-eater (Merops nubicus) as passenger, Savuti, Chobe National Park, Botswana

Graeme Guy/ BIA / Chestnut-headed Bee-eater (Merops leschenaulti) trio with insect prey, Penang, Malaysia

Graeme Guy/ BIA / Blue-throated Bee-eater (Merops viridis) pair, Penang, Malaysia

Thomas Hinsche/ BIA / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) pair squabbling, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

Thomas Hinsche/ BIA / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) pair, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

Graeme Guy / Chestnut-headed Bee-eater (Merops leschenaulti) male, Penang, Malaysia

Graeme Guy / Blue-throated Bee-eater (Merops viridis) pair, Penang, Malaysia

Konrad Wothe / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) presents prey item to potential mate, Bulgaria

Konrad Wothe / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) trio calling, Bulgaria

Winfried Wisniewski / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) presenting food during courtship, Pleven, Bulgaria

Winfried Wisniewski / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) presenting food during courtship, Pleven, Bulgaria

Winfried Wisniewski / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) with insect prey, Pleven, Bulgaria

Winfried Wisniewski / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) offering insect prey in courtship, Pleven, Bulgaria

Winfried Wisniewski / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) calling, Pleven, Bulgaria

Winfried Wisniewski / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) mating pair, Pleven, Bulgaria

Winfried Wisniewski / White-fronted Bee-eater (Merops bullockoides) trio at nest entrances, Chobe National Park, Botswana

Winfried Wisniewski / White-fronted Bee-eater (Merops bullockoides), Chobe National Park, Botswana

Winfried Wisniewski / White-fronted Bee-eater (Merops bullockoides) pair perched on a branch, Chobe National Park, Botswana

Jan Wegener / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) pair perched on branch, Lake Neusiedl, Austria

Jan Wegener / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) perched on a branch, dorsal view, Lake Neusiedl, Austria

Jan Wegener / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster), Lake Neusiedl, Austria

Jan Wegener / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) with Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) prey in its bill, Lake Neusiedl, Austria

Jan Wegener / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) pair perched on branch, Lake Neusiedl, Austria

Jan Wegener / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) pair perched on branch, Lake Neusiedl, Austria

Jan Wegener / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) with insect prey, Lake Neusiedl, Austria

Staffan Widstrand / Eurasian bee-eater (Merops apiaster) perched on branch, Pusztaszer reserve, Hungary. May.

Staffan Widstrand / Pair of Eurasian bee-eaters (Merops apiaster) during courtship, Pusztaszer reserve, Hungary. May.

Staffan Widstrand / Pair of Eurasian bee-eaters (Merops apiaster) perched on branch, Pusztaszer reserve, Hungary. May.

Staffan Widstrand / Pair of Eurasian bee-eaters (Merops apiaster) during courtship, Pusztaszer reserve, Hungary. May.

Bernard Castelein / Little bee-eater (Merops pusillus) with Widow dragonfly (Palpopleura portia) prey in beak, Allahein river, The Gambia.

Bruce Thomson / Rainbow bee-eater (Merops ornatus) perching in tree, Cape York, Queensland, Australia.

Klein & Hubert / Pair of Southern carmine bee-eater (Merops nubicoides) nest building in a vertical bank of the Luangwa River at the beginning of the breeding season, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia, Africa.

Klein & Hubert / A colony of Southern carmine bee-eater (Merops nubicoides) nest building in a vertical bank of the Luangwa River at the beginning of the breeding season, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia, Africa.

Klein & Hubert / A colony of Southern carmine bee-eater (Merops nubicoides) nest building in a vertical bank of the Luangwa River at the beginning of the breeding season, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia, Africa.