Alpine Shrew vs Brown Violetear

Sorex alpinus compared with Colibri delphinae

Key Differences

• Alpine Shrew is Near Threatened while Brown Violetear is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Alpine Shrew	Brown Violetear
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)	Apodiformes (Apodiformes)
Family	Soricidae	Trochilidae
Genus	Sorex	Colibri
Species	Sorex alpinus	Colibri delphinae

Evolutionary Relationship

Alpine Shrew and Brown Violetear share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Alpine Shrew

NT — Near Threatened

Brown Violetear

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Alpine Shrew	Brown Violetear
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alpine Shrew

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in Ukraine. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Brown Violetear

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, and Venezuela.

Alpine Shrew

The Alpine Shrew (Sorex alpinus) is a species in the genus Sorex. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Found in Ukraine. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Brown Violetear

The only predominantly brown hummingbird in the violetear genus, brown violetears have brownish-bronze upper parts and a diagnostic violet-blue ear patch. Found across a broad range of humid forest and forest edge from Guatemala south through Venezuela, Colombia, and Brazil to Bolivia. Inhabiting elevations from lowland to 2,000 meters, they are found in forest interior, forest edge, and gardens. Despite relatively drab plumage for a hummingbird, the violet ear patch glitters vividly in direct sunlight.