Monarch vs Sharp-shinned Hawk

Danaus plexippus compared with Accipiter striatus

Key Differences

• Monarch is Not Evaluated while Sharp-shinned Hawk is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Monarch	Sharp-shinned Hawk
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Accipitriformes (Hawks & Eagles)
Family	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)	Accipitridae (Hawks & Eagles)
Genus	Danaus (Milkweed Butterflies)	Accipiter
Species	Danaus plexippus	Accipiter striatus

Evolutionary Relationship

Monarch and Sharp-shinned Hawk share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Monarch

NE — Not Evaluated

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Sharp-shinned Hawk

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Monarch	Sharp-shinned Hawk
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	1 years	—
Average Length	5 cm	—
Average Weight	0 g	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Monarch

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (8 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and South America (Colombia).

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Habitat

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

Range

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

Monarch

One of the world's most remarkable migratory insects, monarch butterflies undertake multigenerational round-trip migrations of up to 4,800 km between breeding grounds in northern North America and overwintering sites in Mexican mountain forests. Brilliant orange and black wings warn predators of toxicity derived from milkweed plants consumed as caterpillars. Endangered, with overwintering populations having declined by over 80% since the 1990s due to milkweed habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change.

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 2 countries:

🇨🇴 Colombia 🇺🇸 United States