Rainbow bee-eater

One of Uluṟu’s most striking birds, the rainbow bee-eater has a golden crown, green wings and back, an orange-yellow throat, bright orange underwings and a blue lower body.

True to it’s name, the rainbow bee-eater has a real taste for bees and other flying insects. They can spot a potential meal from 50 metres away, catching the insect in mid-flight before returning to their perch to eat. They rub bees and wasps against the perch before eating to remove stingers and venom glands.

Bee-eaters dig burrows in sandy banks to build their nest. Both parents incubate and feed the young, sometimes with the help of other bee-eaters.

Look for this bird wherever there are flowering plants. Good spots include Muṯitjulu Waterhole and the Liru walk after rain.