Coastal Silver-stiletto vs Common Grackle

Acrosathe annulata compared with Quiscalus quiscula

Key Differences

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

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Coastal Silver-stiletto	Common Grackle
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Diptera (Diptera)	Passeriformes (Songbirds)
Family	Therevidae	Icteridae
Genus	Acrosathe	Quiscalus
Species	Acrosathe annulata	Quiscalus quiscula

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Coastal Silver-stiletto

LC — Least Concern

Common Grackle

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Coastal Silver-stiletto	Common Grackle
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 Grackle

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, United Kingdom, and 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 Grackle

<em>Quiscalus quiscula</em>, commonly known as the common grackle, is a passerine bird belonging to the genus Quiscalus within the family Icteridae. This adaptable species occupies various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments, reflecting a broad ecological tolerance that has allowed it to thrive across a range of landscapes. Its documented range includes the United States as its primary stronghold, with additional records from Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and the United Kingdom, where individuals may appear as vagrants or established non-native populations. Common grackle is typically associated with open and semi-open habitats including agricultural fields, marshes, parks, and suburban areas. 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