Green bee eater is resident but prone to seasonal movements and is found widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal and the Gambia to Ethiopia, the Nile valley, western Arabia and Asia through India to Vietnam. Like other species in the genus, bee-eaters predominantly eat insects, especially bees, wasps and ants.

The little green bee-eater predominantly inhabits arid woodlands with scattered trees and bare soil or sand. The little green bee-eater can also be found in thickets around crops, in plantations, on lakesides or in dry river beds, as well as in open ground such as overgrazed pastures, gardens and farmland. They are mostly see in the plains but can sometimes be found up to 5000 or 6000 feet in the Himalayas.

The little green bee-eater (Merops orientalis) is an exquisite little bird with bright emerald green plumage. The little green bee-eater can be identified by a narrow black stripe on its throat, known as a 'gorget', as well as a black 'mask' that runs through its crimson eyes. Also distinctive are the two central, long, narrow, black tail streamers. The wings are largely green, sometimes tinted with gold or reddish-brown, and have a black trailing edge. The crown may be green, or may be strongly tinged with reddish-brown, and the bill is long.

The breeding season of green bee eater is from March to June. Unlike many bee-eaters, these are often solitary nesters, making a tunnel in a sandy bank. Thought to be a monogamous bird, the little green bee-eater usually lays a clutch of four to eight eggs between March and June, although some will lay as late as August.

Green bee-eaters may be capable of interpreting the behavior of human observers. They showed an ability to predict whether a human at a particular location would be capable of spotting the nest entrance and then behaved appropriately to avoid giving away the nest location. The ability to look at a situation from another's point of view was previously believed to be possessed only by primates.

The little green bee-eater is locally common throughout its range and is not currently known to be at risk from any major threats. However, numbers of its principal food source, bees, are declining, which could pose a problem in the future. The little green bee-eater is also considered to be a pest by bee keepers in parts of its range, and this could become of increasing significance to this species.