small tortoiseshell vs Surf Scoter

Aglais urticae compared with Melanitta perspicillata

Key Differences

• small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened while Surf Scoter is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	small tortoiseshell	Surf Scoter
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Anseriformes (Anseriformes)
Family	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)	Anatidae
Genus	Aglais	Melanitta
Species	Aglais urticae	Melanitta perspicillata

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Surf Scoter

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	small tortoiseshell	Surf Scoter
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

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.

Surf Scoter

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States).

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 🇩🇪 Germany 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden