Ulmen-Fleckenspanner vs Uhu

Abraxas sylvata compared with Bubo bubo

Key Differences

• Ulmen-Fleckenspanner is Vulnerable while Uhu is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Ulmen-Fleckenspanner	Uhu
Kingdom same	Animalia (Tier)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Gliederfüßer)	Chordata (Chordatiere)
Class	Insecta (Insekten)	Aves (Vögel)
Order	Lepidoptera (Schmetterlinge)	Strigiformes (Eulen)
Family	Geometridae	Strigidae (True Owls)
Genus	Abraxas	Bubo (Eagle Owls)
Species	Abraxas sylvata	Bubo bubo

Evolutionary Relationship

Ulmen-Fleckenspanner and Uhu share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Tier)

Conservation Status

Ulmen-Fleckenspanner

VU — Vulnerable

Uhu

EN — Endangered

Population: ~400.0K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Ulmen-Fleckenspanner	Uhu
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	20 years
Average Length	—	70 cm
Average Weight	—	3.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Ulmen-Fleckenspanner

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Uhu

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, flooded grasslands and savannas, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 4 distinct biome types within the Neotropic biogeographic realm.

Range

Found across Europe (9 countries) and South America (Ecuador). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Ulmen-Fleckenspanner

The clouded magpie (Abraxas sylvata) is a geometrid moth in the family Geometridae found across temperate Europe, extending eastward through Russia to Japan. The adult wingspan measures approximately 32–42 mm, with white wings bearing a distinctive pattern of yellow-orange and dark grey to black spots and patches arranged in rows across the forewing and hindwing, creating a striking patterned appearance resembling the magpie coloring of the related magpie moth Abraxas grossulariata, but with a more yellowish, muted tone and less black — hence 'clouded.' Adults fly in one generation from June to July, resting on leaf surfaces and attending woodland flowers for nectar. The larvae feed on wych elm (Ulmus glabra) and occasionally other Ulmus species in mature deciduous woodland and woodland edges. The clouded magpie has become less common in parts of its European range due to the widespread loss of mature elms from Dutch elm disease, which devastated European elm populations from the 1970s onward. Conservation of this species requires the protection of surviving mature elm trees and management of regrowth elms in woodland ecosystems.

Uhu

The world's largest owl species by height and weight, Eurasian eagle-owls have wingspans up to 1.9 meters and inhabit rocky landscapes, forest edges, and cliffs from Europe across Asia to China. Silent nocturnal hunters with powerful talons, they prey on rabbits, hares, foxes, and even other raptors. Their deep, resonant hooting carries over great distances. Relatively stable in population, though persecuted historically.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden