European Roller vs Red-tailed Hawk
Coracias garrulus compared with Buteo jamaicensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | European Roller | Red-tailed Hawk |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coracias garrulus | Buteo jamaicensis |
| Order | Coraciiformes | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Coraciidae | Accipitridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 31.0 cm (12.2 in) | 53.0 cm (20.9 in) |
| Wingspan | 66.0 cm (26.0 in) | 124.0 cm (48.8 in) |
| Weight | 130.0 g (4.59 oz) | 1080.0 g (38.10 oz) |
| Diet | Large insects, especially beetles, grasshoppers, and crickets. Also takes small reptiles, frogs, and scorpions. Hunts … | Small to medium mammals, especially voles, mice, and rabbits. Also takes birds, reptiles, and large … |
| Clutch Size | 3-6 | 2-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
European Roller only
None
Red-tailed Hawk only
European Roller
Warm, dry, open country with scattered trees and nest holes. Breeds in tree cavities, earth banks, and nest boxes.
Red-tailed Hawk
Open country with scattered elevated perches such as trees, poles, and cliffs. Adaptable to farmland, grasslands, roadsides, and suburban areas.
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.
Red-tailed Hawk
Iconic, raspy descending scream: 'kreeeeee-ar', often used in films for all raptors. Gives short barking 'kak' notes near nest. Juveniles beg with persistent squealing whistles.
Geographic Range & Migration
European Roller
Southern and eastern Europe, Central Asia, and North Africa. Winters in sub-Saharan Africa.
Red-tailed Hawk
North America from Alaska to Panama, including the Caribbean. One of the most common raptors in North America.
Conservation Status
European Roller
Red-tailed Hawk
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
Red-tailed Hawk
Variable plumage from pale to dark morphs. Most adults have rich brown upperparts, a pale breast with a dark belly band, and the characteristic rufous-red tail.
Dark hooked bill with a yellow cere
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.
Red-tailed Hawk
The red-tailed hawk is the most widespread and common hawk in North America. Its screaming cry is so iconic that it is often dubbed over bald eagle footage in films and television. These adaptable raptors thrive in human-altered landscapes and are a familiar sight perched along highways.