Open country with scattered trees, sandy banks, and river cliffs for nesting. Breeds in colonies in tunnels dug into earth banks.
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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
European Bee-eater
الغناء
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.
Rufous-crowned Bee-eater
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Geographic Range & Migration
European Bee-eater
Southern Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Winters in tropical Africa. A long-distance migrant.
Rufous-crowned Bee-eater
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Conservation Status Comparison
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حالة الحفاظ
Least Concern
European Bee-eater
Least Concern
Rufous-crowned Bee-eater
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
European Bee-eater
الريش
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.
المنقار
Long, slender, slightly decurved black bill
Rufous-crowned Bee-eater
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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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.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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