elk vs Sharp-shinned Hawk

Cervus elaphus compared with Accipiter striatus

Key Differences

• elk is Vulnerable while Sharp-shinned Hawk is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	elk	Sharp-shinned Hawk
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Artiodactyla (Even-toed Ungulates)	Accipitriformes (Hawks & Eagles)
Family	Cervidae (Deer)	Accipitridae (Hawks & Eagles)
Genus	Cervus (True Deer)	Accipiter
Species	Cervus elaphus	Accipiter striatus

Evolutionary Relationship

elk and Sharp-shinned Hawk share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

elk

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Sharp-shinned Hawk

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	elk	Sharp-shinned Hawk
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	20 years	—
Average Length	2.1 m	—
Average Weight	240.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

elk

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, among 12 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Asia (Afghanistan, Indonesia), Europe (11 countries), North America (Mexico), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand), and South America (Argentina, Chile, Peru). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, United States, and Venezuela.

elk

Also known as the red deer, elk are among the largest members of the deer family, with antlered males reaching up to 240 kg. Found across temperate forests and grasslands of Europe, Asia, and North America, where populations were historically separated as distinct subspecies. Males shed and regrow their antlers annually, engaging in dramatic roaring contests during autumn rut. An important game and conservation species across its range.

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) 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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway