Black-tailed Godwit vs small tortoiseshell

Limosa limosa compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Black-tailed Godwit is Endangered while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Black-tailed Godwit	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Aves (Birds)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Charadriiformes (Charadriiformes)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Scolopacidae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Limosa	Aglais
Species	Limosa limosa	Aglais urticae

Evolutionary Relationship

Black-tailed Godwit and small tortoiseshell share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Black-tailed Godwit

EN — Endangered

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Black-tailed Godwit	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Black-tailed Godwit

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 8 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries) and North America (United States). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

small tortoiseshell

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (41 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Black-tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List. At high risk of extinction in the wild, with significant population decline and ongoing threats to survival.

small tortoiseshell

small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) 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 6 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇷🇺 Russia 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇦 Ukraine