European Bee-eater vs Wandering Albatross
Merops apiaster compared with Diomedea exulans
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | European Bee-eater | Wandering Albatross |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Merops apiaster | Diomedea exulans |
| Order | Coraciiformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Meropidae | Diomedeidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | 28.0 cm (11.0 in) | 117.0 cm (46.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 38.0 cm (15.0 in) | 320.0 cm (126.0 in) |
| Weight | 56.0 g (1.98 oz) | 9000.0 g (317.47 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily bees, wasps, and hornets caught in flight. Removes stingers by beating prey against a … | Squid, fish, and crustaceans caught from the ocean surface, often at night. Follows fishing vessels … |
| Clutch Size | 4-10 | 1 |
| 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.
Wandering Albatross
Open ocean of the Southern Hemisphere. Breeds on remote sub-Antarctic islands. Spends years at sea between breeding attempts.
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.
Wandering Albatross
At nesting colonies emits a loud braying 'waaah' and guttural grunts. Silent at sea for most of the year. Courtship involves ritualized mutual bill-clapping and moaning calls.
Geographic Range & Migration
European Bee-eater
Southern Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Winters in tropical Africa. A long-distance migrant.
Wandering Albatross
Southern Ocean circumpolar, breeding on South Georgia, Crozet, Kerguelen, and other sub-Antarctic islands.
Conservation Status
European Bee-eater
Wandering Albatross
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
Wandering Albatross
Adults are mostly white with black trailing edges to the wings. Juveniles are chocolate brown, whitening progressively over 5-10 years. Pink bill and pale feet.
Very large pink bill with a hooked tip and visible tubular nostrils
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.
Wandering Albatross
The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, reaching up to 3.5 meters. These oceanic nomads can circumnavigate the globe, covering over 120,000 km per year using dynamic soaring with minimal wing flapping. Pairs mate for life and may live over 60 years.