Canadian beaver vs Marsh Swift

Castor canadensis compared with Borbo micans

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Marsh Swift is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Marsh Swift
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Hesperiidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Borbo
Species	Castor canadensis	Borbo micans

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and Marsh Swift share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Marsh Swift

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Marsh 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).

Marsh Swift

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

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.