Helen Ansell - 'Rainbow Bee Eaters in Fields of Flowers' Giclee Print (han095)

About “Bee Eaters amongst the Field of Flowers”

These brilliantly coloured birds (Merops ornatus), with elongated tail feathers, grow to be 23–28 cm long. They are a common species, and in summer can be found in forested areas of mainland
southern Australia; during winter they migrate north into northern Australia, New Guinea, and some of the southern islands of Indonesia. Like all bee-eaters, rainbow bee-eaters are very social birds. When they are not breeding they roost together in large groups in dense undergrowth or large trees.

Their vocalization in flight is a series of loud, melodious “pir-r-r” calls, characterized by rapid vibration and high pitch. A softer, slower call is exchanged between perching birds. Like all bee-eaters, they nest in burrows built by the females; breeding before and after the rainy season in the north, and from November to January in the south. The nest tunnel is very narrow, and the birds’ bodies press so tightly against the tunnel walls that when the birds enter and exit their movement acts like a piston, pumping in fresh air and pushing out stale air. They mostly eat flying insects, but have a real taste for bees.
This painting also features Flame Grevillea, Mulla Mulla, Belly Buttons, Wattle and Eucalyptus leucoxylon.

Helen Ansell Fine Art Paper Prints are now available as giclée quality prints using Fine Art smooth paper 220gsm.
Using archival ink, all have a light fastness under glass and away from direct sunlight of greater than 200 years.
Fine Art Paper Prints :20 x 20cm (8″ x 8″) design perimeter plus white border of 5cm (made to fit a 30 x 30cm frame)