Common dung beetle vs Olive-Side Flycatcher

Aphodius pedellus compared with Contopus cooperi

Key Differences

• Common dung beetle is Least Concern while Olive-Side Flycatcher is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common dung beetle	Olive-Side Flycatcher
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Coleoptera (Beetles)	Passeriformes (Songbirds)
Family	Scarabaeidae	Tyrannidae
Genus	Aphodius	Contopus
Species	Aphodius pedellus	Contopus cooperi

Evolutionary Relationship

Common dung beetle and Olive-Side Flycatcher share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Common dung beetle

LC — Least Concern

Olive-Side Flycatcher

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common dung beetle	Olive-Side Flycatcher
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common dung beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and United States.

Olive-Side Flycatcher

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, United States, and Venezuela. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Common dung beetle

<em>Aphodius pedellus</em>, a species of dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List, indicating a stable conservation outlook across its known range. The species has been documented in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States, with its distribution spanning virtually all terrestrial and freshwater biome types. As a member of the Aphodiini tribe, <em>Aphodius pedellus</em> typically inhabits pastures, meadows, and woodland edges where mammalian dung is available, as dung beetles in this genus rely on feces as both a breeding medium and a food resource. These beetles play a critical role in nutrient cycling and soil aeration, breaking down organic waste and accelerating the return of nutrients to the soil. Their burrowing activity beneath dung pats enhances soil structure and improves water infiltration. <em>Aphodius pedellus</em> is part of a guild of coprophagous insects that collectively support healthy agricultural and natural ecosystems across temperate Europe and North America. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Olive-Side Flycatcher

Olive-Side Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List. Close to qualifying as threatened, with populations that may become vulnerable without conservation action.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇺🇸 United States