Species Name: Merops philippinus

Common Name: Blue-tailed Bee-eater Skeleton

Origin: South-East Asia

Size: 7" diam. base x 7"

Made in Australia

The blue-tailed bee-eater skeleton. The bones were carefully put together and beautifully displayed in a dome. Not only this is a cool dark vintage art piece, but can also inspire you in your artworks, or to study every angle of the birds skeletal structure.

The bird skeleton is highly adapted for flight. It is extremely lightweight but strong enough to withstand the stresses of taking off, flying, and landing. Because of this, birds usually have a smaller number of bones than other terrestrial vertebrates. Birds also lack teeth or even a true jaw, and instead have a beak, which is far more lightweight.

The blue-tailed bee-eater is a widely spread bird found in southeastern Asia. It is strongly migratory, seen seasonally in much of peninsular India. Like other bee-eaters it predominantly eats insects, especially bees, wasps and hornets, which are caught in the air.

Scientific name: Merops philippinus from the family Meropidae.