Chestnut-headed Bee-eater

The chestnut-headed or bay-headed bee-eater is a small bee-eater, 18–20cm long and 26–33g, without the long central tail feathers of most of its relatives. It is mainly green, with a pale shining blue rump and blue on the lower belly. The forehead, crown, nape and mantle are rich chestnut, and the yellow face and throat are separated from the rest of the underparts by a chestnut band, a short black gorget and a diffuse yellow band. A black line runs through the eye, and the thin, curved bill is black. The sexes are alike (Wikipedia, general species account).

It breeds in subtropical open woodland and is commonest in hilly areas. It is gregarious, feeding and roosting communally. It was described in 1817 with an incorrect locality of Java, later corrected to Sri Lanka. SoIB 2023 lists it as a resident forest bird in India with movements within the country and a moderate range, finds its trends stable, and rates it a Low conservation priority (Wikipedia, general species account; SoIB 2023).