Asian Green Bee-eater

The Asian green bee-eater, or little green bee-eater, is resident or makes short seasonal movements across Asia from coastal southern Iran east through the Indian subcontinent to Vietnam. It is slender and richly coloured, 16 to 18 cm long plus elongated central tail feathers of another 7 cm. The plumage is bright green, tinged with blue on the chin and throat, with golden rufous on the crown and upper back (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is mainly an insect eater and is found in grassland, thin scrub and forest, often far from water. The African and Arabian green bee-eaters, formerly counted with it, were split as separate species in 2021. Four subspecies are accepted. Nationally Least Concern (Sri Lanka National Red List 2012).