Clouded Yellow vs Golden Eagle

Colias croceus compared with Aquila chrysaetos

Key Differences

  • Clouded Yellow is Least Concern while Golden Eagle is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Clouded Yellow Golden Eagle
Kingdom same Animalia (Animals) Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) Chordata (Chordates)
Class Insecta (Insects) Aves (Birds)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths) Accipitriformes (Hawks & Eagles)
Family Pieridae Accipitridae (Hawks & Eagles)
Genus Colias Aquila (True Eagles)
Species Colias croceus Aquila chrysaetos

Evolutionary Relationship

Clouded Yellow and Golden Eagle share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Clouded Yellow

LC — Least Concern

Golden Eagle

NT — Near Threatened

Population: ~300.0K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Clouded Yellow Golden Eagle
Diet Carnivore
Average Lifespan 30 years
Average Length 85 cm
Average Weight 5.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Clouded Yellow

Habitat

Inhabits Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm.

Range

Found across Asia (Cyprus) and Europe (40 countries).

Golden Eagle

Habitat

Typically found in diverse ecosystems where prey species are available.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (6 countries), and North America (United States). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Clouded Yellow

Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) 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.

Golden Eagle

Among the most powerful and widely distributed raptors in the world, golden eagles have wingspans reaching 2.2 meters and inhabit mountainous terrain across the Northern Hemisphere. Supreme aerial hunters, they use soaring flight and steep dives at speeds over 200 km/h to capture rabbits, hares, ground squirrels, and occasionally young deer and foxes. In many cultures they have been central to falconry traditions spanning millennia.

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