Beautiful bee-eater with a blue fore-crown, green back, yellow throat, rufous underparts, and deep-blue breast band. In flight, reveals a striking pattern of rufous patches and black bars on the wings and tail. Found in moist, open habitats including savanna, woodland, cultivation, and forest edge. Calls are short, wooden rattles. Very similar to Little Bee-eater, but separated with care by slightly larger size and by the pale patch along the top and back of the yellow throat.