African elephant vs Common Waxbill

Loxodonta africana compared with Estrilda astrild

Key Differences

• African elephant is Vulnerable while Common Waxbill is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	Common Waxbill
Kingdom same	Animalia (hewan)	Animalia (hewan)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (mamalia)	Aves (burung)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Passeriformes (burung pengicau)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Estrildidae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Estrilda
Species	Loxodonta africana	Estrilda astrild

Evolutionary Relationship

African elephant and Common Waxbill share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Common Waxbill

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	Common Waxbill
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	65 years	—
Average Length	6.0 m	—
Average Weight	6.0 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

African elephant

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 Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Waxbill

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests and tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests spanning the Australasia and Afrotropic realms.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Cabo Verde, Mauritius, Sao Tome and Principe), Asia (Taiwan, United Arab Emirates), Europe (9 countries), North America (Trinidad and Tobago, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Vanuatu), and South America (Brazil, Uruguay).

African elephant

The largest land animal on Earth, African elephants can reach 7,000 kg and inhabit sub-Saharan savannas, forests, and wetlands. Highly intelligent with complex social structures led by matriarchs, they communicate through infrasound, rumbles, and touch. As ecosystem engineers, they shape habitats by uprooting trees, digging waterholes, and dispersing seeds. Vulnerable, with populations declining due to ivory poaching and habitat loss.

Common Waxbill

The most widespread waxbill in Africa, common waxbills are native to sub-Saharan Africa but have been introduced across the Iberian Peninsula, Brazil, Hawaii, and several Atlantic islands, becoming one of the world's most widely distributed cage bird escapees. Small, lively finches with red bills and a red stripe through the eye, they inhabit rank grasslands and areas near water. Highly gregarious, often seen in large mixed flocks with other estrildids.