Common Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus, Large Hippo vs Java Sparrow

Hippopotamus amphibius compared with Lonchura oryzivora

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus, Large Hippo	Java Sparrow
Kingdom same	Animalia (hayvan)	Animalia (hayvan)
Phylum same	Chordata (Kordalılar)	Chordata (Kordalılar)
Class	Mammalia (memeliler)	Aves (kuş)
Order	Artiodactyla (Çift toynaklılar)	Passeriformes (Ötücü kuşlar)
Family	Hippopotamidae (Hippos)	Estrildidae
Genus	Hippopotamus (Hippos)	Lonchura
Species	Hippopotamus amphibius	Lonchura oryzivora

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus, Large Hippo and Java Sparrow share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Kordalılar)

Conservation Status

Common Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus, Large Hippo

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~130.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Java Sparrow

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus, Large Hippo	Java Sparrow
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	40 years	—
Average Length	3.5 m	—
Average Weight	1.5 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus, Large Hippo

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

Distributed across Colombia and Kenya. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Java Sparrow

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 6 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Indomalayan realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Tanzania), Asia (Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam), Europe (5 countries), North America (United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Colombia, Venezuela). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus, Large Hippo

Africa's most dangerous large mammal, common hippos can reach 3,200 kg and inhabit rivers, lakes, and wetlands of sub-Saharan Africa. Semi-aquatic, spending up to 16 hours daily submerged to keep cool, they graze on land at night. Despite appearing docile, hippos are extremely aggressive and territorial, responsible for hundreds of human fatalities annually. Vulnerable, with populations threatened by habitat loss and illegal hunting for ivory tusks.

Java Sparrow

One of the most popular cage birds in East Asia, Java sparrows are striking finches with grey plumage, a bold black head, distinctive white cheek patches, and a bright red bill. Native to Java and Bali in Indonesia, they have been introduced to many parts of Asia, Africa, and the Americas. They inhabit open grasslands, rice fields, and farmland, often becoming pests on rice crops. Listed as Vulnerable in their native range due to severe trapping pressure for the cage bird trade.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇨🇴 Colombia