Science Common Sense

1022 - What is the difference between a habitat and a niche?

Imagine you're in a big forest (that's the ecosystem).

• A 'habitat' is like the neighborhood you live in, it's the place where you and your friends (other animals) live. For example, a bird's habitat is a tree, and a fish's habitat is a river.

• A 'niche' is like your job or what you do in that neighborhood. It's how you use the resources in your habitat, like what you eat, how you find food, or how you protect yourself. For example, a bird's niche is eating seeds from a specific plant, and a fish's niche is eating tiny animals in the river.

In short, your habitat is where you live, and your niche is how you live there.