European Roller vs Snowy Owl
Coracias garrulus compared with Bubo scandiacus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | European Roller | Snowy Owl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coracias garrulus | Bubo scandiacus |
| Order | Coraciiformes | Strigiformes |
| Family | Coraciidae | Strigidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | 31.0 cm (12.2 in) | 63.0 cm (24.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 66.0 cm (26.0 in) | 145.0 cm (57.1 in) |
| Weight | 130.0 g (4.59 oz) | 2100.0 g (74.08 oz) |
| Diet | Large insects, especially beetles, grasshoppers, and crickets. Also takes small reptiles, frogs, and scorpions. Hunts … | Primarily lemmings on the breeding grounds, where a pair may consume over 1,500 per year. … |
| Clutch Size | 3-6 | 3-14 |
| 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.
Snowy Owl
Arctic tundra for breeding. Winters in open habitats resembling tundra, including prairies, airports, shorelines, and agricultural fields.
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.
Snowy Owl
Male gives a deep booming hoot 'hooooo' and a rising 'hoo-hoo' series. Also barks sharply when alarmed. Quieter than many owls; silent during long Arctic winter hunts.
Geographic Range & Migration
European Roller
Southern and eastern Europe, Central Asia, and North Africa. Winters in sub-Saharan Africa.
Snowy Owl
Circumpolar Arctic for breeding. Irruptive winter movements bring birds south to the northern United States, Europe, and Asia.
Conservation Status
European Roller
Snowy Owl
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
Snowy Owl
Adult males are almost entirely white. Females and immatures have dark brown barring and spotting. Yellow eyes and fully feathered feet.
Dark hooked bill mostly hidden by dense facial feathering
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.
Snowy Owl
The snowy owl is the heaviest North American owl and one of the most charismatic Arctic birds. Unlike most owls, it is largely diurnal, necessitated by the continuous daylight of Arctic summers. Snowy owl irruptions — periodic mass southward movements — are tied to lemming population cycles.