European Bee-eater vs Hawfinch
Merops apiaster compared with Coccothraustes coccothraustes
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | European Bee-eater | Hawfinch |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Merops apiaster | Coccothraustes coccothraustes |
| Order | Coraciiformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Meropidae | Fringillidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 28.0 cm (11.0 in) | 18.0 cm (7.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 38.0 cm (15.0 in) | 32.0 cm (12.6 in) |
| Weight | 56.0 g (1.98 oz) | 55.0 g (1.94 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily bees, wasps, and hornets caught in flight. Removes stingers by beating prey against a … | Seeds and kernels, especially from cherries, olives, elms, and hornbeams. The bill exerts a force … |
| Clutch Size | 4-10 | 3-5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
European Bee-eater
Open country with scattered trees, sandy banks, and river cliffs for nesting. Breeds in colonies in tunnels dug into earth banks.
Hawfinch
Deciduous and mixed woodland, orchards, parks, and large gardens with mature fruiting trees.
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Hawfinch
A sharp, metallic 'tsick' call — the primary vocalization and often all that's heard. Song is a thin, reedy warble. Generally inconspicuous vocally despite its striking appearance.
Geographic Range & Migration
European Bee-eater
Southern Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Winters in tropical Africa. A long-distance migrant.
Hawfinch
Europe, North Africa, and western and central Asia. Partially migratory, with northern populations moving south in winter.
Conservation Status
European Bee-eater
Hawfinch
How to Tell Them Apart
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
Hawfinch
Orange-brown head with a black bib and eye stripe. Warm brown back, grey nape, and broad white wing bar. Massive head and bill give a top-heavy appearance.
Enormously powerful, conical, pale bill capable of cracking cherry and olive stones
About These Birds
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.
Hawfinch
The hawfinch possesses the most powerful bill relative to body size of any European bird, capable of cracking cherry stones that require a force of 27-43 kg. Despite its distinctive appearance, it is famously shy and difficult to observe. The skull contains special adaptations to absorb the enormous forces generated during seed-cracking.