(video by Daniel CR on YouTube)
With their big orange bills the slate-colored grosbeaks I saw in Panama must certainly be related to northern cardinals, right?
They also sound like cardinals. (recording of slate-colored grosbeak in Panama Xeno-canto XC354030 by William Adsett)
But are they related? No, they’re not.
Slate-colored grosbeaks used to be classed in the cardinal family (Cardinalidae) but DNA studies show that Saltator grossus is in the tanager (Thraupidae) family instead.
Don’t be fooled, “I’m a tanager.”
(video by Daniel CR on YouTube; photos from Wikimedia Commons. Click on the names to see the original photos: slate-colored grosbeak, northern cardinal)
Fascinating how DNA can reclassify species. I read about how Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers are not as closely related as thoughtand various hypothesis on why. One is evolutionary social mimicry. The smaller trying to gain the respect given the more aggressive Hairy. Or the convergent evolution from evolving in different backgrounds toward a similar state.
I remember reading that the Falcon is closely related to a Parrot.
Thanks for sharing.
Donna