Golden Eagle vs Golden-rumped elephant shrew

Aquila chrysaetos compared with Rhynchocyon chrysopygus

Key Differences

• Golden Eagle is Near Threatened while Golden-rumped elephant shrew is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Golden Eagle	Golden-rumped elephant shrew
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Aves (Birds)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Accipitriformes (Hawks & Eagles)	Macroscelidea (Macroscelidea)
Family	Accipitridae (Hawks & Eagles)	Macroscelididae
Genus	Aquila (True Eagles)	Rhynchocyon
Species	Aquila chrysaetos	Rhynchocyon chrysopygus

Evolutionary Relationship

Golden Eagle and Golden-rumped elephant shrew share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Golden Eagle

NT — Near Threatened

Population: ~300.0K

Trend: Stable →

Golden-rumped elephant shrew

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Golden Eagle	Golden-rumped elephant shrew
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	30 years	—
Average Length	85 cm	—
Average Weight	5.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Golden Eagle

Habitat

Typically found in diverse ecosystems where prey species are available.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (6 countries), and North America (United States). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Golden-rumped elephant shrew

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 5 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Kenya. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Golden Eagle

Among the most powerful and widely distributed raptors in the world, golden eagles have wingspans reaching 2.2 meters and inhabit mountainous terrain across the Northern Hemisphere. Supreme aerial hunters, they use soaring flight and steep dives at speeds over 200 km/h to capture rabbits, hares, ground squirrels, and occasionally young deer and foxes. In many cultures they have been central to falconry traditions spanning millennia.