Alder Spittlebug vs Common Starling

Aphrophora alni compared with Sturnus vulgaris

Key Differences

• Alder Spittlebug is Least Concern while Common Starling is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Alder Spittlebug	Common Starling
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Hemiptera (Hemiptera)	Passeriformes (Songbirds)
Family	Aphrophoridae	Sturnidae
Genus	Aphrophora	Sturnus
Species	Aphrophora alni	Sturnus vulgaris

Evolutionary Relationship

Alder Spittlebug and Common Starling share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Alder Spittlebug

LC — Least Concern

Common Starling

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Alder Spittlebug	Common Starling
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alder Spittlebug

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States).

Common Starling

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, tundra, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 9 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (4 countries), Europe (5 countries), North America (6 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand, Tonga), and South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Alder Spittlebug

The Alder Spittlebug (Aphrophora alni) is a species in the genus Aphrophora. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Common Starling

Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List. Close to qualifying as threatened, with populations that may become vulnerable without conservation action.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States