Dunnock vs small tortoiseshell

Prunella modularis compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Dunnock is Least Concern while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Dunnock	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Aves (Birds)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Passeriformes (Songbirds)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Prunellidae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Prunella	Aglais
Species	Prunella modularis	Aglais urticae

Evolutionary Relationship

Dunnock and small tortoiseshell share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Dunnock

LC — Least Concern

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Dunnock	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Dunnock

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and Oceania and the Pacific (New Zealand).

small tortoiseshell

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (41 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Dunnock

Dunnock (Prunella modularis) is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Widespread and abundant across its range, with stable populations and no immediate conservation concerns.

small tortoiseshell

small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) 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 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇷🇺 Russia 🇸🇪 Sweden