Canadian beaver vs Gray-breasted Martin

Castor canadensis compared with Progne chalybea

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Gray-breasted Martin is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Gray-breasted Martin
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Passeriformes (Songbirds)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Hirundinidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Progne
Species	Castor canadensis	Progne chalybea

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and Gray-breasted Martin share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Gray-breasted Martin

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Gray-breasted Martin
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).

Gray-breasted Martin

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, and Venezuela.

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.

Gray-breasted Martin

Gray-breasted Martin (Progne chalybea) is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Widespread and abundant across its range, with stable populations and no immediate conservation concerns.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway