Canadian beaver vs Ridgway's Hawk

Castor canadensis compared with Buteo ridgwayi

Key Differences

Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Ridgway's Hawk is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Ridgway's Hawk
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Accipitriformes (Hawks & Eagles)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Accipitridae (Hawks & Eagles)
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Buteo
Species	Castor canadensis	Buteo ridgwayi

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and Ridgway's Hawk share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

View Phylum: Chordata

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Ridgway's Hawk

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Ridgway's Hawk
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).

Ridgway's Hawk

Habitat

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

Range

Found in Norway. Currently classified as Critically Endangered 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.