Greg Lasley Nature Photography
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The White-fronted Bee-Eater (Merops bullockoides) is a cavity nester in earthen banks in many areas of southern Africa. The birds below were photographed near their nesting burrows at Shakawe Lodge, Botswana, in October, 1998. They were photographed with a Canon EOS 1N & EF 300mm F4L IS lens and a 1.4X extender. A 540 EZ flash was used as fill at f5.6 on three of the shots; the photo at the bottom right was taken with available natural light. Note how the fill flash photos show the underparts to better advantage. The film was Fuji Sensia 100 on all images. These photos were all shot hand-held with the camera and lens on a BushHawk shoulder mount. Scroll down for a shot of the fairly unusual yellow-throated form of this species.

The photographs below illustrate the different throat colors this species can display. The bird on the left is in typical plumage, however, the bird on the right shows a yellow throat. Out of approximately fifteen White-fronted Bee-Eaters in the immediate vicinity, two individuals displayed yellow throats.

See below for more images taken in January, 2006 at Kruger National Park, South Africa. These shots were taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark II and EF
500mm F/4 L IS lens and 1.4X extender.