The bee-eater is about the size of a sparrow but with a longer tail. Its blue throat and smaller size set it apart from other bee-eaters in Sri Lanka. Common in the dry zone, it is rarely found in the wet zone. These birds live in pairs and are often seen perched on thorny bushes or low scrub, from which they dart out to catch flies, beetles, bees, and wasps. They prefer open spaces in forests and cultivated areas, often seen on roadside wires. Nesting burrows, 2-4 feet long, are dug into banks, where they lay 3-5 eggs.