Jude Perera of Sri Lanka captured this video of a small flock of Little Green Bee-eaters (Merops orientalis) taking a sand bath in the Wilpattu National Park. Each bee-eater makes a small depression on the sand as it fluffs about to allow the sand to get between the feathers. This is part of its regular feather maintenance that includes preening and water bath.
The Little Green Bee-eater is common almost everywhere in dry-zone low country in Sri Lanka.
Over in Singapore and Malaysia, it is usual to see Eurasian Tree-sarrows (Passer montanus) indulge in such behaviour LINK.
The video was made known to BESG by Jeremiah Loei. We thank Jude for giving us permission to show the video on this website.
Jude Perera
Sri Lanka
May 2013
3 Responses
Great VDO and best information
Thanks Chintana.
Awesome sight! Thanks for sharing this wonderful video of so many bee-eaters having a communal sand bath.