Archaeologists made an unexpected discovery during an excavation in Makrychori, Larissa not an artifact from the distant past, but six tiny bee-eaters at the very start of their lives.
According to a post by the Wildlife Protection and Rehabilitation Association ANIMA, the nest of the chicks was accidentally destroyed during research work for Neolithic and Mycenaean remains at the base of a hill in the area. The excavation team led by Professor Iphigeneia Tournavitou of the Department of History, Archaeology and Social Anthropology at the University of Thessaly, and Mr. Giorgos Toufexis from the Larissa Ephorate of Antiquities acted immediately. The six chicks were carefully collected and kept under the team’s care until they were handed over to specialized staff from the Management Unit for Protected Areas of Thessaly of OFYPEKA (the Natural Environment and Climate Change Organization).
From there, the next step in saving them began: their transfer to ANIMA’s First Aid Station. The chicks will be housed there under the supervision of experienced caretakers until they can be released in a suitable location possibly even on the hill where they were found. In the meantime, the organization’s team is ensuring they have a safe and as natural as possible environment. “We’ve placed a tube in their cage and they love hiding in it it reminds them of their nest. But we certainly can’t compete with their parents when it comes to raising them, let alone their beauty,” the post notes.
How did these charming, brilliantly colored chicks end up underground?
What do we know about bee-eaters, which return to Greece every spring to nest and breed?
Here are a few interesting facts about this captivating feathered visitor.
Europe’s Most Colorful Bird
The bee-eater is undoubtedly one of the most striking birds to visit Greece in the summer months. Merops apiaster, its scientific name, arrives in Greece in April to breed and departs in late August for warmer climates.
Identifying European birds often requires a keen eye, as earthy tones and subtle hues are the norm. But the European bee-eater leaves no room for doubt: it looks like a flying “rainbow.” The bright yellow on its throat, its turquoise breast, the chestnut crown, and its green and yellow wings form a stunning contrast with its long black beak and the dark “mask” around its eyes.
Males and females look quite similar, though females usually have more vivid green feathers on their shoulders. Outside the breeding season, their plumage becomes much duller, with a blue-green back. Chicks resemble adults in nonbreeding plumage but with even less color variation in their “outfits.”
It Nests in Burrows—and Gets Help
European bee-eaters breed in open, warm areas, choosing slopes with soft soil or sand where they dig the burrows that will become their nests. These tunnels are usually 1.5 to 2 meters long and are excavated by both parents. They begin digging with their strong, long beaks and then use their feet to clear out the soil.
Female bee-eaters lay only one clutch per breeding season, consisting of 4–8 eggs, though they may lay another if something goes wrong. They often form colonies and are among the few bird species that have helpers at the nest usually young males who assist with feeding and caring for the chicks.
They are typically monogamous, maintaining pair bonds for many years and sometimes for life.
(Here the article references an infographic by the organization “Action for Wildlife” about the bee-eater.)
How They Hunt Without Getting Stung
As their name suggests, these birds feed primarily on hymenopterans especially bees and wasps which they catch mid-air with impressive aerial maneuvers. A single bee-eater can consume up to 250 bees a day. Although that number sounds high, studies have shown that their impact on local bee populations is minimal, as they consume less than 1% of worker bees in the areas where they live.
When their prey consists of small, harmless insects such as flying ants or termites, they eat them in flight. Larger insects and those that can sting are carried in their beaks to a branch or other hard surface, where they are vigorously struck to remove the stinger and venom. Then the bird tosses the insect into its mouth and swallows it.
