Badgers and like other mustelids, the head is small and adorable with a black and white glossy body and a wedge shaped one. Even though majority of these animals are harmless to human beings, they may attack if they feel at risk.
But there are other badgers besides those found in America. Despite having similar appearances, their European cousins are distinct.
Compared to their American badger vs European badger, European badgers are bigger and heavier. While American badgers favor grasslands, they primarily inhabit woodlands and suburban parks.
Badgers of European origin are omnivorous and the American ones are predominantly carnivorous. While the two are both night active, the American badgers are mostly lone animals while the European ones are more social.
A brief summary of the primary distinctions between American badger vs European badger is provided in the table below:
| Characteristics | European Badger | American Badger |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 23 -35 inch | 20 – 33 inch |
| Weight | 14.5 -36 pounds | 10 -24 pounds |
| Appearance | Triangular faces and short legs characterize stocky bodies. From the nose to the eyes and ears, there are two dark stripes that are divided by a white stripe. The rest of the coat is dark gray or black in color. | Triangular faces, short legs, and stocky, flattened bodies. From the nose, two black stripes go overhead, divided by a white stripe. The rest of the coat is gray to reddish. |
| Geographic range | all around Scandinavia, the British Isles, and Europe. Russia, China, and Japan. | all over North America, from the hilly regions of Mexico to Canada. |
| Habitat | Woodlands, open fields, agricultural land, suburban parks. | Dry, open grasslands, pastures, and fields. |
| Diet | Omnivore | Primarily carnivore |
| Behavior | Social; nocturnal | Solitary; nocturnal |
| Reproduction | Polygamous | Polygamous |
| Longevity (in the wild) | Up to 14 years | Up to 14 years |
| Conservation status | Least concern | Least concern |
Ten Significant Distinctions Between American Badger Vs European Badger:
Despite being members of the mustelid family, European badgers (Meles meles), often known as Eurasian badgers, and American badgers (Taxidea taxus) are not very closely related.
The two species differ more than they are similar, except from their names.
1. Size
The European badger is often larger than the American, but there aren’t any significant size differences between the two.
The typical adult European badger’s length ranges from 23 to 35 inches. However, some of the biggest ones can grow up to 41 inches in length. An additional five to eight inches can be added to the length by the tail.
The majority of European badgers are around 12 inches tall. The size disparities between males and females are not significant.
The American badger’s body length ranges from 1.7 to 2.8 feet (20 to 33 inches), making it marginally smaller than the European species. They are also shorter; on average, they are nine inches tall.
2. Weight
The two badger species are no exception to the rule that larger bodies are correlated with greater body mass.
European badgers weigh more than their American counterparts because of their larger bulk. But compared to the size, the difference is substantial.
European badgers weigh 14.5 to 36 pounds on average. Males weigh from twenty and thirty-six pounds, which is more than females. Women’s weights range from 14.5 to about 30 pounds.
The weight of European badgers varies throughout the year, but it peaks in the fall when they put on weight in preparation for the winter months.
American badgers are significantly lighter than their European counterparts, despite the slight size difference.
Usually, they weigh between 10 and 24 pounds. The heaviest European badgers are heavier than these specimens, which may weigh up to 26 pounds.
American badgers lose most of their weight in the winter and gain it in the summer and fall, just like their European counterparts.
3. Appearance
Both European and American badgers have short, stocky bodies. The latter, however, appear more flat and have shorter legs because they are shorter overall.
Both species have long nostrils with keen senses of smell and triangular skulls. In many cases, a badger’s sense of smell is 700–800 times stronger than a person’s.
Both badger species have unique colors and markings on their coats.
Two black stripes that extend from the sides of the nose over the eyes and ears are visible on the white head of European badgers.
A white line that runs from the nose tip overhead and blends into the neck and back fur separates these stripes.
In addition, the sides of the face are white, and the fur on the legs and chest ranges in color from black to gray on the back. Between people, there may be slight hue differences. All things considered, European badgers appear “gentle.”
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American badgers appear far more aggressive than those from Europe. Although they have black markings on their head as well, their stripes extend upward from the tip of their nose.
On the head, a thin white line that merges into the fur separates these two stripes.
Though they are positioned more laterally on each side of the skull, the ears are circular, like those of European badgers.
One significant distinction is that European badgers have black pavilions with white ear tips, while American badgers have black ear tips with whitish fur on the pavilion.
The second set of stripes on the white cheeks of American badgers is another characteristic that sets them apart. In addition, the coat’s color is reddish gray instead of gray-black.
4. Geographic Range
American and European badgers are located at different regions in the world hence their names suggest their origin.
The Eurasian badger is native to most of Europe and western Asia with some parts of Asia.
Badgers are also found in the UK and Europe particularly the Scandinavia. Although different badger species can be found in some parts of Asia, they are also found in China, Japan, and Russia.
North America, which includes the USA and Canada, is home to the majority of American badgers. Their geographic range does, however, extend into Central America.
5. Habitat
The habitat is another way that American and European badgers differ from one another.
Plains, prairies, timber borders, and farmlands are among the open spaces that American badgers favor. Their range extends from alpine meadows to sea level, and they don’t care about altitude.
Despite their preference for woodland habitats like deciduous, coniferous, or mixed woods, European badgers can also dwell in open spaces. They can also be found in suburban parks, agricultural areas, and sizable hedgerows that have water.
European badgers can conceal themselves more easily in the event of danger because to this habitat choice.
6. Diet
American badger vs European badger differ in their feeding habits, even though they are all essentially carnivores.
The European badgers are carnivorous, but they are also good foragers. Slugs, snails, insects, nuts and seeds as well as fruits constitute the greater part of their diet as far as foods are concerned.
They also classify them as omnivorous, meaning they can also prey on, and feed on, small mammals like birds, amphibians, and rodents. But indeed, one can assume that they are omnivores, which means that they ate food with proteins and fats.
Sporadically American badgers take plant-based diets; mostly the animals are carnivorous. Seventy percent of their diet consist of terrestrial vertebrates including rats, prairie dogs, ground squirrels, marmots and moles.
They also eat insects like bees, birds and amphibians. They also particularly recommend honeycombs.
7. Behavior
