Common Eider vs Elegant Water Shrew

Somateria mollissima compared with Nectogale elegans

Key Differences

• Common Eider is Near Threatened while Elegant Water Shrew is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Eider	Elegant Water Shrew
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Aves (Birds)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Anseriformes (Anseriformes)	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)
Family	Anatidae	Soricidae
Genus	Somateria	Nectogale
Species	Somateria mollissima	Nectogale elegans

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Eider and Elegant Water Shrew share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Common Eider

NT — Near Threatened

Elegant Water Shrew

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Eider	Elegant Water Shrew
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Eider

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Elegant Water Shrew

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Common Eider

Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) 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.