Canadian beaver vs Sharp-shinned Hawk

Castor canadensis compared with Accipiter striatus

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Sharp-shinned Hawk is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Sharp-shinned 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)	Accipiter
Species	Castor canadensis	Accipiter striatus

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and Sharp-shinned Hawk share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Sharp-shinned Hawk

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Sharp-shinned 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).

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, United States, 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.

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) 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 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇺🇸 United States