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From: jgpo@iwu1a.UUCP (John, KA9MNK)
Newsgroups: net.rec.birds
Subject: Re: Birds I Saw This Weekend
Message-ID: <178@iwu1a.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 17-May-84 18:05:32 EDT
Article-I.D.: iwu1a.178
Posted: Thu May 17 18:05:32 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 18-May-84 06:16:04 EDT
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 27

>>  I must admit I very much a beginner and an amatuer at that,but can any
>>  one explain why the US robin differs so much from the british robin.
>>  The US one looks as it belongs to the thrush or finch family whilst
>>  the british one looks like a member of the sparrow family.


Good eye!  The American robin (Turdus migratorius) *is* a thrush.  When
the first Europeans arrived in the New World they saw our thrush and said,
"By Jove, that bird resembles our robin redbreast!  It must be the New World
version."  And that's why T. migratorius is named Robin.  I don't know right
off hand what family the European robin is in.


	John Opalko
	AT&T Bell Labs
	Naperville, IL


PS:

On my walk around the grounds the other day I espied a rosy-breasted grosbeak
and either a kinglet or a Western common bushtit.  There's also been a male
mallard taking afternoon naps on the fountain in our pond (right over the
hole) for the past couple of weeks.  Is he in for a surprise if they ever
turn that thing on!