Why do bee-eaters sometimes follow zebras and other large animals?

Bee-eaters often accompany zebras and other large game animals to feed on insects that are roused from the grass by the movement of these animals. This behavior is a form of opportunistic foraging, where the birds take advantage of the insects stirred into activity by the larger creatures as they graze or walk through the grasslands.1

In this context, the bee-eater acts as a commensal, benefiting from the association by gaining easier access to food without necessarily harming or benefiting the host animal. Similar to how other birds follow grazing mammals to capture prey, bee-eaters utilize this strategy to increase their foraging efficiency.21