European Bee-eater vs Scarlet Macaw
Merops apiaster compared with Ara macao
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | European Bee-eater | Scarlet Macaw |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Merops apiaster | Ara macao |
| Order | Coraciiformes | Psittaciformes |
| Family | Meropidae | Psittacidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 28.0 cm (11.0 in) | 85.0 cm (33.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 38.0 cm (15.0 in) | 110.0 cm (43.3 in) |
| Weight | 56.0 g (1.98 oz) | 1000.0 g (35.27 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily bees, wasps, and hornets caught in flight. Removes stingers by beating prey against a … | Fruits, nuts, seeds, and flowers from rainforest canopy trees. Visits clay licks to detoxify compounds … |
| Clutch Size | 4-10 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
European Bee-eater only
Scarlet Macaw only
European Bee-eater
Open country with scattered trees, sandy banks, and river cliffs for nesting. Breeds in colonies in tunnels dug into earth banks.
Scarlet Macaw
Humid tropical lowland rainforests, gallery forests, and forest edges. Requires large mature trees with cavities for nesting.
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.
Scarlet Macaw
Very loud, raucous squawking screams 'araak-araak'. Also gives chattering contact calls in pairs. Capable of mimicking human speech in captivity. Highly vocal throughout the day.
Geographic Range & Migration
European Bee-eater
Southern Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Winters in tropical Africa. A long-distance migrant.
Scarlet Macaw
Southern Mexico through Central America to Amazonian South America, including Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, and Colombia.
Conservation Status
European Bee-eater
Scarlet Macaw
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
Scarlet Macaw
Brilliant scarlet red body with bright yellow wing coverts and blue flight feathers and tail. Large white bare facial patch around the eye.
Large, strongly curved bill — pale horn upper mandible, dark lower mandible
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.
Scarlet Macaw
The scarlet macaw is one of the most iconic tropical birds with its dazzling tricolor plumage. These highly intelligent parrots form lifelong pair bonds and can live over 75 years in captivity. They play an important ecological role as seed dispersers in Neotropical rainforests.