Species versus Breed.

[Rescued]

Hey there, I wanted to make a brief post about some technical jargon in the bird world. It appears that some people use "breed" interchangeably with species and genus or groups. Parrots are different species not breeds, most cannot interbreed, though some are sub-species and can and will occasionally produce offspring. I know that this seems like a little thing, however this is an important distinction and something that parrot people should be educated on. This also applies to color mutations in a species of parrots, being a different color because of selective breeding does not change the DNA of the bird, they are still the same species of parrot as their regularly colored relatives. ie: a yellow mutation of a blue and gold macaw is still a blue and gold macaw, it just has different colored feathers, a powder blue budgie, is still a budgie, and a blue ekkie is still an ekkie.

This is one of those things that as we learn we should consider the implications and follow the taxonomy of parrots. Sorry if I sound preachy, it drives me a little batty when these things are considered not important.

[coltfire]

Well Said

[Blancaej]

It's always nice to know the proper terms to use! I've always heard species was the proper term to use with birds. So if Macaw or Cockatoo is the species, how do you classify within the species such as a b&g & a greenwing? What term would be used then? Just curious!

[Rescued]

They are sub species.

[spiritbird]

You are not preachy. I usually correct the person privately when they refer to bird breeds. Thanks for the education that was needed.

[plax]

They are sub species.That's true. But you're probably not going to get much objection in referring to a particular subspecies as a "species", as you might if you called a species or a subspecies a "breed" ;). For example, you might say, and be somewhat correct when doing so, "Which species of Macaw do you own?" instead of "Which subspecies of Macaw do you own?", even though the latter is more correct.

I've been wondering when someone was going to address this matter. I decided not to do it myself some time ago because I wasn't quite sure how it may be received. Thanks for mentioning it :)

[Rescued]

Thanks for the willingness to listen, I am a bit of a stickler for some bits. ;-) I think it is the vet tech in me.