Belted Kingfisher vs European Bee-eater
Megaceryle alcyon مقارنةً بـ Merops apiaster
Side-by-Side Comparison
| السمة | Belted Kingfisher | European Bee-eater |
|---|---|---|
| الاسم العلمي | Megaceryle alcyon | Merops apiaster |
| الرتبة | Coraciiformes | Coraciiformes |
| الفصيلة | Alcedinidae | Meropidae |
| حالة الحفاظ | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| الطول | 33,0 cm (13.0 in) | 28,0 cm (11.0 in) |
| طول الجناح | 53,0 cm (20.9 in) | 38,0 cm (15.0 in) |
| الوزن | 150,0 g (5.29 oz) | 56,0 g (1.98 oz) |
| النظام الغذائي | Primarily small fish caught by plunge-diving from a perch or hover. Also takes crayfish, frogs, … | Primarily bees, wasps, and hornets caught in flight. Removes stingers by beating prey against a … |
| عدد البيض في الوضع | 6-7 | 4-10 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Belted Kingfisher
Rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, estuaries, and coastlines with clear water and suitable perches. Nests in burrows dug into earthen banks.
European Bee-eater
Open country with scattered trees, sandy banks, and river cliffs for nesting. Breeds in colonies in tunnels dug into earth banks.
Song & Call Comparison
Belted Kingfisher
A loud, rattling 'klee-klee-klee-klee' — mechanical and penetrating. Given in flight along rivers. Also a harsh 'kekekek' near nest. Far louder than Common Kingfisher.
European Bee-eater
A liquid, melodic 'pruik-pruik' or rolling 'prruup-pruup' in flight. Flocks give a distinctive far-carrying bubbling call audible before birds are seen. Considered a pleasant sound.
Geographic Range & Migration
Belted Kingfisher
North America from Alaska and Canada to Central America and the Caribbean. Northern populations migrate south in winter.
European Bee-eater
Southern Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Winters in tropical Africa. A long-distance migrant.
حالة الحفاظ
Belted Kingfisher
European Bee-eater
How to Tell Them Apart
Belted Kingfisher
Blue-grey upperparts with a shaggy crest and a white collar. Males have a single blue-grey breast band; females have an additional rufous belly band.
Long, heavy, straight, dark dagger-like bill
European Bee-eater
Richly colored with a chestnut-brown crown and back, golden-yellow scapulars, turquoise-blue underparts, and a black eye stripe. Central tail feathers are elongated.
Long, slender, slightly decurved black bill
About These Birds
Belted Kingfisher
The belted kingfisher is unusual in that the female is more colorful than the male, sporting an additional rufous belly band. These noisy birds announce their territory with a distinctive rattling call. They excavate nesting burrows up to 2.4 meters deep into riverbanks using their heavy bills.
European Bee-eater
The European bee-eater is one of the most colorful birds in Europe, displaying a rainbow palette of chestnut, gold, and turquoise. True to their name, bee-eaters specialize in catching venomous insects, skillfully removing the stinger before consumption. They nest in colonies, excavating tunnel burrows up to two meters into sandy banks.