Common Sun Beetle vs Ornate Hawk-Eagle

Amara aenea compared with Spizaetus ornatus

Key Differences

• Common Sun Beetle is Least Concern while Ornate Hawk-Eagle is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Sun Beetle	Ornate Hawk-Eagle
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Coleoptera (Beetles)	Accipitriformes (Hawks & Eagles)
Family	Carabidae	Accipitridae (Hawks & Eagles)
Genus	Amara	Spizaetus
Species	Amara aenea	Spizaetus ornatus

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Sun Beetle and Ornate Hawk-Eagle share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Common Sun Beetle

LC — Least Concern

Ornate Hawk-Eagle

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Sun Beetle	Ornate Hawk-Eagle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Sun Beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (7 countries) and North America (Canada, United States).

Ornate Hawk-Eagle

Habitat

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

Range

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

Common Sun Beetle

<em>Amara aenea</em>, the common sun beetle, is a carabid ground beetle in the family Carabidae, order Coleoptera. It is broadly distributed across Europe and has been introduced to North America, typically inhabiting open, sunny habitats such as arable fields, grasslands, sandy heathlands, and disturbed ground with sparse vegetation. Adults are omnivorous, feeding on seeds, small invertebrates, and plant material, and are considered important predators of weed seeds in agricultural systems. <em>Amara aenea</em> is surface-active during warm, dry conditions, typically exhibiting peak activity in late spring and summer. Like many carabid beetles, it is nocturnal and shelters under stones and debris during the day. Larvae develop in the soil, where they also feed on organic matter and small invertebrates. Biological traits including precise adult lifespan, body length measurements, and detailed prey preferences remain poorly documented at the species level. The species is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, reflecting its wide distribution, high adaptability to disturbed environments, and no significant known threats to global population status.

Ornate Hawk-Eagle

Ornate Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus ornatus) 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 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway