Comments on: A second day on Brannan Island

By: Linda R. Moore

Linda R. Moore — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:48:47 +0000

Isn’t science fun? ;)

By: Mary

Mary — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 20:39:42 +0000

Ah, the joys of taxonomy. :) It used to be done so much by description, but DNA has thrown a big giant spanner into it.

By: Linda R. Moore

Linda R. Moore — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 20:37:27 +0000

Mary: I didn’t know about the thrush thing, and I have a hard time figuring out how they (European) robins could be seen as thrushes. Thrushes are long and sleek, while robins are little fat things (and agressive too). I’m not arguing: just saying it’s weird to me.

I looked it up on Wikipedia and learned a curious thing: they were considered to be part of that thrush family, but are now considered to be part of the Muscicapidae (old world flycatchers) family. Whether that’s accurate or not I couldn’t say.

But whoever came up with Turdidae for thrushes deserves a good talking-to. ;)

By: Linda R. Moore

Linda R. Moore — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 20:34:37 +0000

Hi Buffra! I guess so. Though it just looks so different from what I know as a robin. :)

By: Mary

Mary — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 20:23:28 +0000

The red-breasted one is an American Robin. Like the robins in England, it’s a thrush, just a different variety. :D

By: Buffra

Buffra — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 19:41:32 +0000

It’s a robin.

(little robin red-breast….)