Brown-backed Needletail vs Laysan Duck

Hirundapus giganteus compared with Anas laysanensis

Key Differences

• Brown-backed Needletail is Least Concern while Laysan Duck is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Brown-backed Needletail	Laysan Duck
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Aves (Birds)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Apodiformes (Apodiformes)	Anseriformes (Anseriformes)
Family	Apodidae	Anatidae
Genus	Hirundapus	Anas
Species	Hirundapus giganteus	Anas laysanensis

Evolutionary Relationship

Brown-backed Needletail and Laysan Duck share a common ancestor at the Class level: Aves. (Birds)

Conservation Status

Brown-backed Needletail

LC — Least Concern

Laysan Duck

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Brown-backed Needletail	Laysan Duck
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Brown-backed Needletail

Habitat

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

Range

Found in Norway.

Laysan Duck

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, France, Netherlands, Norway, and United Kingdom. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Brown-backed Needletail

The Brown-Backed Needletail (Hirundapus giganteus) is a species in the genus Hirundapus. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Laysan Duck

Laysan Duck (Anas laysanensis) is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List. Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild due to severe population decline and habitat loss.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway