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

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut	European Bee-eater	Blue-moustached Bee-eater
Nom scientifique	Merops apiaster	Merops mentalis
Ordre	Coraciiformes	Coraciiformes
Famille	Meropidae	Meropidae
Statut de conservation	Least Concern	Near Threatened
Longueur	28,0 cm (11.0 in)	—
Envergure	38,0 cm (15.0 in)	16,9 cm (6.7 in)
Poids	56,0 g (1.98 oz)	23,7 g (0.84 oz)
Régime alimentaire	Primarily bees, wasps, and hornets caught in flight. Removes stingers by beating prey against a …	--
Taille de la couvée	4-10	2
Population Trend	—	—

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

Size Comparison

Body Length

European Bee-eater 28,0 cm

Blue-moustached Bee-eater —

Envergure

European Bee-eater 38,0 cm

Blue-moustached Bee-eater 16,9 cm

Poids

European Bee-eater 56,0 g

Blue-moustached Bee-eater 23,7 g

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

Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Aucun(e)

European Bee-eater only

🌿 Wetland 🌾 Grassland

Blue-moustached Bee-eater only

🌲 Forest

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

Chant

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.

Blue-moustached 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.

Blue-moustached Bee-eater

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

Statut de conservation

Least Concern

European Bee-eater

Near Threatened

Blue-moustached Bee-eater

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

How to Tell Them Apart

European Bee-eater

Plumage

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.

Bec

Long, slender, slightly decurved black bill

Blue-moustached 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.

Blue-moustached Bee-eater

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

More Birds to Explore

More from Meropidae

Southern Carmine Bee-eater Merops nubicoides Arabian Green Bee-eater Merops cyanophrys Asian Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis Böhm's Bee-eater Merops boehmi All Meropidae birds →

Explore the Nature FYI Family

🧬 SpeciesFYI

Species & Taxonomy

🦕 DinoFYI

6,000+ Dinosaurs

🐟 FishFYI

Fish & Marine Life

🌿 PlantFYI

379,000+ Plants