{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

Merkmal	European Bee-eater	Rufous-crowned Bee-eater
Wissenschaftlicher Name	Merops apiaster	Merops americanus
Ordnung	Coraciiformes	Coraciiformes
Familie	Meropidae	Meropidae
Erhaltungsstatus	Least Concern	Least Concern
Länge	28,0 cm (11.0 in)	—
Flügelspannweite	38,0 cm (15.0 in)	23,3 cm (9.2 in)
Gewicht	56,0 g (1.98 oz)	36,3 g (1.28 oz)
Ernährung	Primarily bees, wasps, and hornets caught in flight. Removes stingers by beating prey against a …	--
Gelegegröße	4-10	3-5
Population Trend	—	—

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Size Comparison

Body Length

European Bee-eater 28,0 cm

Rufous-crowned Bee-eater —

Flügelspannweite

European Bee-eater 38,0 cm

Rufous-crowned Bee-eater 23,3 cm

Gewicht

European Bee-eater 56,0 g

Rufous-crowned Bee-eater 36,3 g

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Gemeinsame Lebensräume

-

European Bee-eater only

🌿 Wetland 🌾 Grassland

Rufous-crowned Bee-eater 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.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Song & Call Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

European Bee-eater

Gesang

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.

Rufous-crowned Bee-eater

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Geographic Range & Migration ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Geographic Range & Migration

European Bee-eater

Southern Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Winters in tropical Africa. A long-distance migrant.

Rufous-crowned Bee-eater

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Erhaltungsstatus

Least Concern

European Bee-eater

Least Concern

Rufous-crowned Bee-eater

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

European Bee-eater

Gefieder

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.

Schnabel

Long, slender, slightly decurved black bill

Rufous-crowned Bee-eater

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

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.

Rufous-crowned Bee-eater

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

More from Meropidae

Böhm's Bee-eater Merops boehmi Asian Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis Red-bearded Bee-eater Nyctyornis amictus Southern Carmine Bee-eater Merops nubicoides All Meropidae birds →

Explore the Nature FYI Family

🧬 SpeciesFYI

Species & Taxonomy

🦕 DinoFYI

6,000+ Dinosaurs

🐟 FishFYI

Fish & Marine Life

🌿 PlantFYI

379,000+ Plants