Walking through the natural and archaeological landscapes of the Maremma, it is not unusual to hear a peculiar sound — a “Prrr, Prrr, Prrr” that sounds nothing like the traditional song of a bird. If you are not paying attention, you might miss its source. But just look up towards the power lines, branches or fences, and there it is: the European bee-eater.

This almost “chattering” call is part of its highly social nature. The bee-eater never lives alone: it forms family groups and nests in colonies, with members of the group often sharing the task of caring for the young.

Here in the Maremma, the bee-eater is a symbol of summer. It is a migratory bird that returns every year between April and May after spending the winter in Africa, crossing the Mediterranean Sea.

Its plumage is a spectacular display of vivid colours: shades of blue, yellow and orange, with touches of green and red. Its bill is long, black and sturdy, perfectly adapted for catching insects in flight. It is no coincidence that in English it is called a “bee-eater”: its diet includes bees, wasps, horseflies, dragonflies, grasshoppers and other insects, all caught while flying.

Despite its striking appearance, the bee-eater can be surprisingly elusive. Many people notice it only after hearing its distinctive call, before they even manage to spot it.

In the Maremma, areas such as the Vulci Archaeological Park and the Fiora Valley are among its favourite nesting grounds. These birds dig long tunnels into sandy banks, where they lay their eggs.

In recent years, partly as a result of environmental changes, the bee-eater appears to have spread further inland as well as along the coastal areas.