Anthracite Bee-fly vs Java Sparrow

Anthrax anthrax compared with Lonchura oryzivora

Key Differences

• Anthracite Bee-fly is Least Concern while Java Sparrow is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Anthracite Bee-fly	Java Sparrow
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Diptera (Diptera)	Passeriformes (Songbirds)
Family	Bombyliidae	Estrildidae
Genus	Anthrax	Lonchura
Species	Anthrax anthrax	Lonchura oryzivora

Evolutionary Relationship

Anthracite Bee-fly and Java Sparrow share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Anthracite Bee-fly

LC — Least Concern

Java Sparrow

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Anthracite Bee-fly	Java Sparrow
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Anthracite Bee-fly

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden.

Java Sparrow

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Indomalayan realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Tanzania), Asia (Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam), Europe (5 countries), North America (United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Colombia, Venezuela). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Anthracite Bee-fly

The Anthracite Bee-fly (Anthrax anthrax) is a species in the genus Anthrax. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Java Sparrow

One of the most popular cage birds in East Asia, Java sparrows are striking finches with grey plumage, a bold black head, distinctive white cheek patches, and a bright red bill. Native to Java and Bali in Indonesia, they have been introduced to many parts of Asia, Africa, and the Americas. They inhabit open grasslands, rice fields, and farmland, often becoming pests on rice crops. Listed as Vulnerable in their native range due to severe trapping pressure for the cage bird trade.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway