European Roller vs Great Cormorant
Coracias garrulus compared with Phalacrocorax carbo
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | European Roller | Great Cormorant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coracias garrulus | Phalacrocorax carbo |
| Order | Coraciiformes | Suliformes |
| Family | Coraciidae | Phalacrocoracidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 31.0 cm (12.2 in) | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Wingspan | 66.0 cm (26.0 in) | 145.0 cm (57.1 in) |
| Weight | 130.0 g (4.59 oz) | 2600.0 g (91.71 oz) |
| Diet | Large insects, especially beetles, grasshoppers, and crickets. Also takes small reptiles, frogs, and scorpions. Hunts … | Fish caught by diving from the surface. Pursues prey underwater using powerful feet for propulsion. … |
| Clutch Size | 3-6 | 1-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
European Roller
Warm, dry, open country with scattered trees and nest holes. Breeds in tree cavities, earth banks, and nest boxes.
Great Cormorant
Coasts, estuaries, lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. Nests in colonies in trees, on cliffs, or on the ground.
Song & Call Comparison
European Roller
A harsh, grating 'rack-rack' or 'quarrk' in flight. Gives a variety of sharp nasal calls at the nest. Not melodic; primary vocalizations are alarm and contact calls.
Great Cormorant
Deep, guttural grunts and 'karrr' calls at colonies. Bill-clicking and hissing in threat displays. Silent at sea. Colonial noise can be deafening during the breeding season.
Geographic Range & Migration
European Roller
Southern and eastern Europe, Central Asia, and North Africa. Winters in sub-Saharan Africa.
Great Cormorant
Very wide range across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. One of the most widespread cormorant species.
Conservation Status
European Roller
Great Cormorant
How to Tell Them Apart
European Roller
Turquoise-blue head, breast, and tail. Chestnut-brown back. Vivid ultramarine blue and black wing patches visible in flight.
Short, stout, dark hooked bill
Great Cormorant
All black with a bronze-green gloss. White throat patch and white thigh patches in breeding season. Yellow-orange face patch around the bill base.
Long, hooked, dark bill with a yellow gape
About These Birds
European Roller
The European roller gets its name from the spectacular rolling and tumbling aerial displays performed by males during courtship. It is the only roller species in Europe and one of the continent's most colorful birds. Declining across much of its western range due to agricultural intensification and habitat loss.
Great Cormorant
The great cormorant is one of the most widespread seabirds in the world. Unlike most waterbirds, cormorants lack fully waterproof plumage, leading to the iconic pose of standing with wings spread open to dry. In Asia, cormorants have been used by fishermen to catch fish for over a thousand years.