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might be a stupid question....

  • 22-02-2017 6:11pm
    #1
    Isambard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,795 ✭✭✭


    .... but I'll ask anyway.

    Are the various Finches (for instance) closer related to each other than they would be to (say ) Tits?

    In there words are there families of birds and what is the deciding factor(s) which family they belong to?


Comments

  • #2
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    You're basically asking what a species is and that is a longer and often more complicated subject that it first appears. The standard definition for many years was 'the largest group of organisms in which two individuals can produce fertile offspring.' This definition is generally sufficient but not fully accurate as we all know of cross breeding of closely related species.
    Today defining a species includes DNA, morphology, ecological etc.
    Family is a higher set than species.

    A Bluetit is a species. Tits are the Family Paribas, which in turn are passerines of the Order Passeriformes and the Class Avis, or Birds.
    A Chaffinch is a species. Finches are the Family Fringillidae, which in turn are passerines of the Order Passeriformes and the Class Aves.


    There can also be sub species, sub families etc


    In short, yes the finches are all more closely related to each other than they are to tits.


  • #3
    Isambard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,795 ✭✭✭Isambard


    thanks....I suppose it would be too big a question to ask why several species of (say) finch evolved which live in the same places, eat the same and behave the same? That's assuming they evolved from the same ancestor


  • #4
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    The study of Galapagos Finches was a catalyst for Darwin in developing his Theory of Evolution. Finches evolved from their nearest common ancestor to different niches. For example our own finches have different bill types; from the strong bill of the Bullfinch to the slender billed Goldfinch, which suit feeding different seed types. The extreme is the Crossbill which can extract seeds from cones. Or the tiny Redpoll suited to birch and alder seeds. They have all evolved to allow each to survive in the same general locations with less competition.


  • #5
    Isambard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,795 ✭✭✭Isambard


    Oh so Darwin's beat me to it? Tarnation.... :-)

    (Thanks very much)


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