Comments on: What kind of bird is Big Bird? A scientist explains http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Mon, 20 May 2013 14:30:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: efergus3 http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-820736 efergus3 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-820736 A bad product of genetic engineering? (efergus3) A bad product of genetic engineering? (efergus3)

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-820738 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-820738 Goofy is, and always has been, a dog. Goofy is, and always has been, a dog.

]]> By: Zac http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-820745 Zac Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-820745 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goofy Goofy is a dog, and a startlingly forward-thinking warning about the dangers of over-breeding. Also, the video won't load. I think Boing Boing killed the poor little science site's bandwidth. Now I'll never know what Big Bird is! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goofy

Goofy is a dog, and a startlingly forward-thinking warning about the dangers of over-breeding.

Also, the video won’t load. I think Boing Boing killed the poor little science site’s bandwidth. Now I’ll never know what Big Bird is!

]]> By: devophill http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-825612 devophill Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-825612 Certainly, Little Bird is a finch? Certainly, Little Bird is a finch?

]]> By: graywh http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-821008 graywh Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-821008 Oops. He called Big Bird an adult. Oops. He called Big Bird an adult.

]]> By: peterbruells http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-821013 peterbruells Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-821013 Huh? Why would Linnaeus have thought that? Pelicans live all over the world, they are even mentioned in the bible. Huh? Why would Linnaeus have thought that? Pelicans live all over the world, they are even mentioned in the bible.

]]> By: peterbruells http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-821015 peterbruells Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-821015 Also a pink, smaller variety: Tiffy Also a pink, smaller variety: Tiffy

]]> By: Brainspore http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-821034 Brainspore Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-821034 <blockquote>Oops. He called Big Bird an adult.</blockquote> According to his bio Big Bird is six years old (as has been since the 1970s). That's about twice the age when ostriches (the second largest living bird species) reach sexual maturity, so who is to say he's not an adult?

Oops. He called Big Bird an adult.

According to his bio Big Bird is six years old (as has been since the 1970s). That’s about twice the age when ostriches (the second largest living bird species) reach sexual maturity, so who is to say he’s not an adult?

]]> By: Ignatz http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-820812 Ignatz Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-820812 THIS is what I come to BoingBoing for! The answers to really important questions! I love scientific humor, especially biological/ taxonomical gags. I've gotta send this to my uncle, the paleontology professor. THIS is what I come to BoingBoing for! The answers to really important questions! I love scientific humor, especially biological/ taxonomical gags. I’ve gotta send this to my uncle, the paleontology professor.

]]> By: Jonathan Badger http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-820817 Jonathan Badger Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-820817 Reminds me of the classic <a href="http://www.improb.com/airchives/paperair/volume1/v1i1/barney.htm">Taxonomy of Barney</a> paper. Reminds me of the classic Taxonomy of Barney paper.

]]> By: Robotech_Master http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-821076 Robotech_Master Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-821076 One of my very few memories from my Sesame Street days, about two and a half decades ago, is that Big Bird <i>claims</i> to be a golden condor. One of my very few memories from my Sesame Street days, about two and a half decades ago, is that Big Bird claims to be a golden condor.

]]> By: MadRat http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-821611 MadRat Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-821611 Congratulations, Birdguy! Nice talk and not without merit, I can honestly say I learned something. Congratulations, Birdguy! Nice talk and not without merit, I can honestly say I learned something.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-820846 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-820846 Amazingly, a blue variety of the species exists in europe: do a google image search for Pino. If they happen to be of different genders, perhaps it's possible to set up a breeding program for this wonderful and unique bird. Amazingly, a blue variety of the species exists in europe: do a google image search for Pino.

If they happen to be of different genders, perhaps it’s possible to set up a breeding program for this wonderful and unique bird.

]]> By: seyo http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-821124 seyo Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-821124 he's an ostrich, everyone knows that! these scientists spend too much time in the lab and not enough time in front of the tv. tv has many answers. he’s an ostrich, everyone knows that! these scientists spend too much time in the lab and not enough time in front of the tv. tv has many answers.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-820873 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-820873 Birds are tricky: "Linnaeus included a group of species—the Paradoxa—that confounded his classification or whose actual existence he questioned. Pelicans, for example, were placed in Paradoxa because Linnaeus thought they might reflect the over-fervent imaginations of New World explorers." from http://www.pnas.org/content/105/suppl.1/11482.full Birds are tricky: “Linnaeus included a group of species—the Paradoxa—that confounded his classification or whose actual existence he questioned. Pelicans, for example, were placed in Paradoxa because Linnaeus thought they might reflect the over-fervent imaginations of New World explorers.”

from http://www.pnas.org/content/105/suppl.1/11482.full

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-821397 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-821397 The aristocracy have traditionally been very supportive of taxonomical research. If he wants a blood sample he should speak to the Count. The aristocracy have traditionally been very supportive of taxonomical research. If he wants a blood sample he should speak to the Count.

]]> By: Birdguy http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-821150 Birdguy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-821150 Yes, six years old is well into adulthood for birds, even giant flightless birds, and Grandicrocavis has obviously reached adult size. I think observers are confused by the retention of juvenile characters into adulthood, a phenomenon called paedomophosis I mentioned but didn't have 20 seconds to discuss, which has already been proposed as the flightlessness mechanism for a number of birds. (The best way to shrink wings is to arrest adult development, which has side-effects like fluffy feathers, and, in the case of G. viasesamensis, naivety.) W00t I've been Boingboinged! Yes, six years old is well into adulthood for birds, even giant flightless birds, and Grandicrocavis has obviously reached adult size. I think observers are confused by the retention of juvenile characters into adulthood, a phenomenon called paedomophosis I mentioned but didn’t have 20 seconds to discuss, which has already been proposed as the flightlessness mechanism for a number of birds. (The best way to shrink wings is to arrest adult development, which has side-effects like fluffy feathers, and, in the case of G. viasesamensis, naivety.)

W00t I’ve been Boingboinged!

]]> By: pinehead http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-820913 pinehead Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-820913 Ha! Well done. Ha! Well done.

]]> By: randee http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-820920 randee Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-820920 I feel strongly that Big Bird and Kevin must be related somehow. (Reference: "Up") I feel strongly that Big Bird and Kevin must be related somehow. (Reference: “Up”)

]]> By: Felton http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-820974 Felton Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-820974 Ah, so Big Bird is a variety of snipe. Ah, so Big Bird is a variety of snipe.

]]> By: morkuma http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-820720 morkuma Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-820720 finally. a good use for scientists in the field of science that are doing science. finally. a good use for scientists in the field of science that are doing science.

]]> By: EscapingTheTrunk http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-820721 EscapingTheTrunk Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-820721 But can he tell us what Goofy is? But can he tell us what Goofy is?

]]> By: Brainspore http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-820977 Brainspore Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-820977 But what about his less famous puppet companion <a href="http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Little_Bird">Little Bird?</a> Is it a juvenile? A case of extreme dwarfism? An unrelated species with some superficial morphological convergence? But what about his less famous puppet companion Little Bird? Is it a juvenile? A case of extreme dwarfism? An unrelated species with some superficial morphological convergence?

]]> By: Felton http://boingboing.net/2010/06/29/what-kind-of-bird-is.html#comment-820991 Felton Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-820991 Good question(s). My question is whether they ever figured out that Snuffleupagus was a pygmy mammoth. Good question(s). My question is whether they ever figured out that Snuffleupagus was a pygmy mammoth.

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