[1] EBird describes the bird as "A medium-sized, long-tailed bee-eater of open areas.

"[2] It was previously considered a subspecies of the blue-throated bee-eater (M. viridis), but was split as a distinct species by the IUCN Red List and BirdLife International in 2014, and the International Ornithological Congress followed suit in 2022.

This species breeds from February to May in communal nest burrows on sloping ground and banks.

It inhabits open country and clearings adjacent to forested areas, including over scrub and cogon fields, using dead trees and telephone wires as perches.

[6] The IUCN Red List has assessed this bird as least-concern species as it is common and is able to tolerate open habitat.