Collector 4 stamps - European Bee-eater - Green Letter

The European Bee-eater Undoubtedly one of the most colorful birds in mainland France, the European Bee-eater is a migratory bird that returns every year from May onwards to breed along our waterways, where it digs its nest and lives in colonies. At the end of summer, it embarks on a long and perilous journey to West and South Africa. Its increasingly frequent presence in northern Europe seems to be linked to global warming, and it is no longer uncommon to find it in the Jura, Aisne, Brittany, Ile-de-France and even Belgium. As its name suggests, this passerine feeds mainly on large flying insects: wasps, hornets, bees, bumblebees... Still fairly numerous, it is not currently classified as an endangered species, although habitat degradation due to human activity is a problem for its reproduction. Michel Chardin, wildlife photographer

Conception graphique La nouvelle d'ap. photos © Michel Chardin