Canadian beaver vs Chimney Swift

Castor canadensis compared with Chaetura pelagica

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Chimney Swift is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Chimney Swift
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Apodiformes (Apodiformes)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Apodidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Chaetura
Species	Castor canadensis	Chaetura pelagica

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and Chimney Swift share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Chimney Swift

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Chimney Swift
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	15 years	—
Average Length	1.0 m	—
Average Weight	25.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Canadian beaver

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (15 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Argentina, Chile).

Chimney Swift

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (Norway, Sweden), North America (United States), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Canadian beaver

The largest rodent in North America, Canadian beavers weigh up to 32 kg and are master ecosystem engineers inhabiting rivers, lakes, and wetlands across Canada and the northern United States. By felling trees and constructing dams up to hundreds of meters long, beavers create ponds that provide habitat for hundreds of species. Their lodges and canals transform entire watersheds. Once nearly hunted to extinction for their fur, beaver populations have recovered strongly.

Chimney Swift

Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) 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 3 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States