Canadian beaver vs Java Sparrow

Castor canadensis compared with Lonchura oryzivora

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Java Sparrow is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Java Sparrow
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)	Estrildidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Lonchura
Species	Castor canadensis	Lonchura oryzivora

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Java Sparrow

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Java Sparrow
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).

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.

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.

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 6 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇫🇷 France 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇴 Norway 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 🇺🇸 United States