Common Starling vs Marley’s Golden Mole

Sturnus vulgaris compared with Amblysomus marleyi

Key Differences

• Common Starling is Near Threatened while Marley’s Golden Mole is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Starling	Marley’s Golden Mole
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Aves (Birds)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Passeriformes (Songbirds)	Afrosoricida (Afrosoricida)
Family	Sturnidae	Chrysochloridae
Genus	Sturnus	Amblysomus
Species	Sturnus vulgaris	Amblysomus marleyi

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Starling and Marley’s Golden Mole share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Common Starling

NT — Near Threatened

Marley’s Golden Mole

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Starling	Marley’s Golden Mole
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Starling

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, tundra, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 9 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (4 countries), Europe (5 countries), North America (6 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand, Tonga), and South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Marley’s Golden Mole

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Common Starling

Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 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.