European Bee-eater vs Great Cormorant
Merops apiaster comparé à Phalacrocorax carbo
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | European Bee-eater | Great Cormorant |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Merops apiaster | Phalacrocorax carbo |
| Ordre | Coraciiformes | Suliformes |
| Famille | Meropidae | Phalacrocoracidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 28,0 cm (11.0 in) | 90,0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Envergure | 38,0 cm (15.0 in) | 145,0 cm (57.1 in) |
| Poids | 56,0 g (1.98 oz) | 2600,0 g (91.71 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Primarily bees, wasps, and hornets caught in flight. Removes stingers by beating prey against a … | Fish caught by diving from the surface. Pursues prey underwater using powerful feet for propulsion. … |
| Taille de la couvée | 4-10 | 1-7 |
| 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.
Great Cormorant
Coasts, estuaries, lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. Nests in colonies in trees, on cliffs, or on the ground.
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.
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 Bee-eater
Southern Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Winters in tropical Africa. A long-distance migrant.
Great Cormorant
Very wide range across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. One of the most widespread cormorant species.
Statut de conservation
European Bee-eater
Great Cormorant
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
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 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.
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.