Project Description

I always have mixed feelings when I find a dead bird, especially one as stunning as the European Bee-eater Merops apiaster. On the one hand it is sad to see such as vibrant and energetic creature lifeless, but on the other hand being able to handle and examine such a beauty is a rare and emotional experience. This individual was struck by a car on a country road, but had minimal damage. It was in active moult, with one middle secondary feather seemingly out of place, and notably shorter than the adjacent ones (thus still growing). I was also very intrigued by this bird’s tongue, which terminated in long filamentous extensions.