Coastal Silver-stiletto vs Common Flicker

Acrosathe annulata compared with Colaptes auratus

Key Differences

• Coastal Silver-stiletto is Least Concern while Common Flicker is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Coastal Silver-stiletto	Common Flicker
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Diptera (Diptera)	Piciformes (Piciformes)
Family	Therevidae	Picidae
Genus	Acrosathe	Colaptes
Species	Acrosathe annulata	Colaptes auratus

Evolutionary Relationship

Coastal Silver-stiletto and Common Flicker share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Coastal Silver-stiletto

LC — Least Concern

Common Flicker

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Coastal Silver-stiletto	Common Flicker
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Coastal Silver-stiletto

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Common Flicker

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries) and North America (United States).

Coastal Silver-stiletto

Coastal silver stiletto (Acrosathe annulata) is a slender robber fly in the family Therevidae, native to northwestern Europe, including the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Scandinavia. Adults are found on coastal sand dunes and sandy heathland, where they perch on bare sand to ambush small flying insects. Stiletto flies in the family Therevidae are characterised by a slender body, long pointed abdomen, and predatory habits; adults prey on a variety of small dipterans and other flying insects during warm, sunny periods. Larvae develop in sandy soil, where they are also predatory, feeding on other invertebrate larvae. Acrosathe annulata is a habitat specialist restricted to open, sandy coastal habitats with sparse vegetation—environments that have declined substantially across northwestern Europe due to dune stabilisation, recreational disturbance, and the cessation of traditional dune management. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern, though regional conservation bodies in the United Kingdom have flagged population declines. It is considered an indicator of high-quality coastal sand dune habitats and is monitored through national invertebrate surveys.

Common Flicker

<em>Colaptes auratus</em> is a large woodpecker in the family Picidae, order Piciformes, commonly known as the northern flicker. Unlike most woodpeckers, this species frequently forages on the ground, using its long tongue to extract ants and beetle larvae from the soil. <em>Colaptes auratus</em> is documented in Europe and the United States, where it inhabits open woodlands, forest edges, suburban areas, and parks with mature trees suitable for nesting. The species is notably adaptable in its habitat use and is one of the most widespread woodpeckers in North America. It is easily recognized by its brownish-barred plumage, spotted underparts, and a bold white rump patch visible in flight. Two main subspecies groups are recognized — the yellow-shafted form in the east and the red-shafted form in the west — which interbreed extensively where their ranges meet. Flickers are cavity nesters, excavating holes in dead or dying trees. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway