BS: What species is Big Bird?

Subject: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 12:28 AM

The Ernie and Bert thread got me thinking about it. What kind of bird IS Big Bird anyway? Does anyone know? And why does he do that funny thing when he sleeps?

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 12:33 AM

Big Bird's opposite.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Peace
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 12:35 AM

He's a hummingbird on steroids.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: GUEST,Oscar the Grouch
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 04:41 AM

He's a shitbird.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Teresa
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 05:50 AM

I wish I knew Latin. then I'd classify him. :)

Teresa

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 06:10 AM

He's a shitehawk.

eric

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 06:20 AM

A moa!

Although clearly, it would have been speaking Maori to start with...

Bunnahabhain

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: beardedbruce
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 06:24 AM

No moa, no moa...

I'll go to see no moa.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Bill D
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 03:37 PM

he's an Arabian bird:

"'Tis the Arabian bird, alone,
Lives chaste because there is but one.
But had kind nature made them two,
They would like doves and sparrows do."

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Don Firth
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 03:43 PM

A canary with a growth hormone problem.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 03:52 PM

Giganticus Puppeticus

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 04:00 PM

Chicken Big

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Once Famous
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 04:46 PM

He is the subject of Col. Sander's wet dream.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Peace
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 04:48 PM

LOLOLOL

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: dianavan
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 05:07 PM

Reminds me of a true story.

When I brought my son to the city for the first time, he went out to play with a little boy from Vancouver. He was four years old and had never watched television.

The little boy wanted to play big bird and Ernie. He said that he wanted to be Ernie and that my son should be big bird. Sure says my son, "What kind of big bird do you want me to be, an eagle or a hawk?" I had to break up a very big misunderstanding that was escalating out of control. My son thought that the city kid was trying to **** with his head! Needless to say, my son was very wary about city-kid games after that and proceeded with caution.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Rapparee
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 05:09 PM

Edible?

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 05:15 PM

No. The Swedish Chef passed on cooking Big Bird. I cite the Muppet Family Christmas for this information.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 05:23 PM

Very funny, Martin! ;-)

Okay, I've think I've got it figured out. Big Bird is a Great Awk!

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Rapparee
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 05:26 PM

Passed on cooking BB for Christmas. The picture is from Thanksgiving, 1988.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: open mike
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 05:36 PM

my favorite names on this list of yellow birds are:
protonotaria flaviceps
and for big bird you would have to add sub-species
giganteum

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: open mike
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 05:39 PM

http://nuthatch.birdnature.com/yellowbird.html
list

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Peace
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 06:24 PM

Here ya go, Open Mike:


http://nuthatch.birdnature.com/yellowbird.html

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Ebbie
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 06:59 PM

I'm with Don Firth- a 500 pound canary.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: GUEST,Blind DRunk in Blind River
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 08:16 PM

That floated in from the, like, Canary Islands. That was coz the island sank under him, eh?

- BDiBR

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Ebbie
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 08:23 PM

BDiBR, did ya flippin' know that the Canary Islands have flippin' nothin' to do with birds?

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 08:57 PM

Burdus bigus spp.

Actually a close cousin of urin' Lytle Squawk. And you started this thread?

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Cluin
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 08:59 PM

In a similar way that I can tell threads started by jOhn from Hull by their titles, I can also tell Little Hawk's threads.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: open mike
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 09:24 PM

the truth about the connection between canary islands and birds..

Gesner in his "Historia Animalium" Book III., (1555) gives an early description of the Canary. After describing the Citril as:

    "being similar to Chloris (Greenfinch), with yellow or citron breast, grey head, and excelling all of this genus in song, except the Serin", he adds: "Similar to this is, as I hear, the bird of sweetest song, called the Canary, which is brought from the Canary Islands, productive of sugar"

The Wild Canary - Serinus Canaria by E.F. Bailey 1907
He adds:
"It is sold everywhere very dear, both for the sweetness of its singing, and also because it is brought from far places with great care and diligence, and but rarely, so that it is wont to be kept only by nobles and great men."
Referring to the Canary Islands, he says:

" These are the Canary Islands, out of which in our age are wont to be brought certain singing birds which from the place they are bred, they commonly call Canary birds; others call them Sugar birds, because the best sugar is brought thence."

We learn from this that, in the first half of the 16th Century, Canaries and sugar were imported into Europe (including England), and as the final conquest of the Canary islands by Spain did not take place until the closing years of the 15th Century we know that little time was lost in bringing the first Canaries to Europe along with the sugar." [end quote]

What is truly marvellous, is that all the present varieties of canary, in all their profusion of colour, shape and song, are descended from this single ancestor. Serinus Canaria is itself a sub-species of Serinus Serinus -the common serin finch.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Ebbie
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 11:04 PM

Whut?

"The Canary Islands weren't named for birds

The Canary Islands, a series of seven small land masses off the coast of Spain in the Atlantic Ocean, were named for dogs, not birds. Believe it? It's true

"The islands were named by the Romans and so bore their Latin name: insulae canariae, or "island of dogs."

"The Romans, who conquered nearly everything in that part of the world at one time or another, had been to the island and found numerous packs of wild dogs and not much else. Hence, the name.

"They were also known as the Fortunate Islands and were sometimes identified with Atlantis."

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Once Famous
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 11:09 PM

Wasn't Easter Island named for all of those big stone headed Christians?

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Rapparee
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 11:14 PM

So you're saying that canaries are dogs???

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Ebbie
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 11:30 PM

True. "insulae canariae Where did you think we got 'canis' and 'canine'?

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Peace
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 12:31 AM

"insulae canariae"

That's what Big Bird is: an insulated canary.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Ebbie
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 01:02 AM

hahahahah

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: open mike
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 01:31 AM

of course "The Canary Islands weren't named for birds"
The birds were so named because they came from those islands...

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Teresa
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 01:52 AM

Which came first--the canary or the islands? :-P

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Peace
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 01:54 AM

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:wsQd6ivCNeQJ:www.ing.iac.es/PR/lapalma/history.html+canaries,+canary+islands,+romans,+histo

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Crystal
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 04:44 AM

I think Big Bird is terrifying!! He's obviously some kind of evil creature from the days of the dinosaurs. I'd prefer to meet a T-Rex any day!

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: GUEST,MBSLynne
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 07:36 AM

Tut tut...what a lot of ignoramuses you are! Big Bird is quite obviously a Yellow Giraffinch. You can tell by the fact that he flocks with a snuffleupagus.

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: GUEST,Brother Ray Joe Buncombe
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 08:54 AM

So, MBSLynne -- you're CONDONING cross-species flocking? Are you some kind of liberal? Will you next be condoning what Certain Albertans do with sheep? What Certain Scots do with anything that doesn't move fast enough? What Certain Rednecks do with their kinfolk?

For shame! Get down on your knees and beg forgiveness! Tear off the garments of sin! Consort no more with sinners and walk, clothed in the pure white cloak of purity! Come to me and I will set you the path of righteousness and how to Get Right With The Lord! I will scourge you with the whips of penance, I will tie you to the cross of contrition and rub you all over with the oil of forgiveness. Oh, come to me, ye sinner, and you will be made again!

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Peace
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 10:15 AM

This thread has degenerated quickly. Big Bird (how many of you guys wake up with one of THEM in the morning) has gone from being a famed and respected character from Sesame Street to jus' another cross-species flocker. DougR is RIGHT. The sky IS falling.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: ToulouseCruise
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 10:55 AM

All that is fine and good, but...

... is Big Bird a boy or girl bird?

I think Snuffy is a cross dresser. Definite male voice, but check out those fake eyelashes....

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Donuel
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 11:02 AM

Phylum: avianosaurus
Genus: gayinteriordecoratus

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Donuel
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 11:07 AM

Snuffy is a heroin addict "I'm hurtin bird".

The count is a pimp "one, two smacks"

the cookie monster is a crack head. "mmmmph"

courtesy of the comedy channel.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 11:10 AM

BigBird is a neotaneous ROC

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Don Firth
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 12:49 PM

Got it!! Crystal provided the essential clue:

"I think Big Bird is terrifying!! He's obviously some kind of evil creature from the days of the dinosaurs. I'd prefer to meet a T-Rex any day!"

He's a T-Bird!

(". . . fun fun fun 'til her daddy takes the. . . .")

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: gnu
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 01:26 PM

A Greater Sulphur Crested Yellow Bellied Long Necked Gross Beaked Ruffed Sap Sucker, more commonly known as a Big Bird. As for the gender, it doesn't really matter because there's only one left.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Layah
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 02:04 PM

When I was little big bird and snuffleupugus were my favourite characters. I absolutely insisted that big bird was a girl, but my mom tells me that the people in the show always referred to him as a he. I didn't believe her then, and now, while I find it likely my mother is correct, my image of big bird will always be as a female.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Megan L
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 02:04 PM

Well if he is alive he cannot be a brittish Great Auk, the last one was shot on the island of Papa Westray last century

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: MBSLynne
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 04:21 PM

Oh Brother Ray Joe Buncombe...how can I possibly resist???

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: semi-submersible
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 05:38 PM

Oiseau jaune = Yellow bird, (up high in banana tree.)

This page says that name is used for the Yellow Warbler.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: GUEST,Ducktor Orneetholeejust phD
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 08:23 PM

To sex a burd you must look closely inside the cloaca. The male sexual organs don't stick out like they do on some human males.

I advise a gloved hand.

"Everbodys heard about the burd"

Papa-ooma-mow-mow, papa-ooma-mow-mow
Papa-ooma-mow-mow, papa-ooma-mow-mow
Ooma-mow-mow, papa-ooma-mow-mow
Papa-ooma-mow-mow, papa-ooma-mow-mow
Papa-ooma-mow-mow, papa-ooma-mow-mow
Oom-oom-oom-oom-ooma-mow-mow

What a dumb song to reach #4 in 1964.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Peace
Date: 07 Feb 05 - 08:31 PM

Someday it will be a folk classic.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: catspaw49
Date: 08 Feb 05 - 12:36 AM

Hawk, when are you going to bring up something original? You should know by now that the answers to virtually all the important things in life are already answered here at Mudcat! Had you bothered to look you would have found this series of postings from 1998:

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Subject: RE: Wreck of the Old 97
From: Art Thieme
Date: 28-Dec-98 - 05:47 PM


Mr. Earl-----Many trains carried live canaries whenever they could. If a train had a difficult time getting up a grade the brakeman'd bang on the side of the car the birds were housed within with a 2 by 4. The birds would intantly take to the air and lighten the train enough for the spinning driving-wheels to take the whole thing over the hump!Honest.

Art


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Subject: RE: Wreck of the Old 97
From: Bill D
Date: 28-Dec-98 - 05:56 PM


but the cost of canaries was so great back then, that they achieved the same effect by feeding the brakeman/conductor on beans and cabbage and having him stand on the rear caboose platform!! The trick was in the timing...(It is a little known fact that listening to an old brakeman tell about this is how the idea for JATO (jet assisted take-off) for the Air Force came about!)


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Subject: RE: Wreck of the Old 97
From: catspaw49
Date: 28-Dec-98 - 06:29 PM


...or sometimes on tough grade,like Horseshoe Curve in Pa., if a helper engine was not available, they'd boost steam pressure by getting two guys like Bill & Art to exhale into the valve gear.


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Subject: RE: Wreck of the Old 97
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 28-Dec-98 - 07:45 PM


Of course, all these tecniques became obsolete when someone (Jay Gould's daughter?) realized that if you put larger wheels on the caboose, the train would always be goung downhill, and no coal at all was required.


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Subject: RE: Wreck of the Old 97
From: Benson
Date: 28-Dec-98 - 08:26 PM


Since the topic of canaries and gasses has arisen in this thread.... it came to mind.......I have been told that they used canaries in the coal mines to detect when the explosive gasses down deep in the mine had reached a level of danger.......the canary would die.....and the miner would get the hell out!!!

Do you suppose those canaries were freed from forced labor...??? Or was there just a run on canaries in 1903?


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Subject: RE: Wreck of the Old 97
From: catspaw49
Date: 28-Dec-98 - 10:50 PM


I suppose you could say the canaries were freed, but this particular group was traced in the Appalachian mountains for years following the wreck. Eventually forming into 7 groups, most had a hard time surviving in the wild. One surviving group was traced to a nesting site across the Cumberland Gap where they had migrated. Most of the local folk enjoyed having these unique birds in their hills. The main nesting area was on the Clinch River northwest of Knoxville. However, the mercury contaminating the river along with the proximity to Oak Ridge, where the birds were often seen feeding, caused mutations and eventually death to the almost the entire flock. The only known descendant of these birds can be seen today on Sesame Street at PBS.

Spaw

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As you can see, at Mudcat, some things never change.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 08 Feb 05 - 09:33 AM

Yeah, Spaw. Sure thing. That quote from Dick Greenhaus is one of the funniest pieces of reasoning I've ever read on this forum! :-)

"Of course, all these tecniques became obsolete when someone (Jay Gould's daughter?) realized that if you put larger wheels on the caboose, the train would always be goung downhill, and no coal at all was required."

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 09 Feb 05 - 04:25 AM

But the biggest question should surely be...

Sage and onion or Pork meat stuffing? Just how juicy is he?

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: GUEST,freda
Date: 09 Feb 05 - 06:06 AM

remember Leda and the swan?

think Dolly Parton and an emu...

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Cluin
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 05:38 PM

Speaking of pork... yet another attempt to fan a flagging career.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 05:42 PM

It figures.

Eat yer heart out, Janet Jackson!

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 11:43 PM

That is so tacky.

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Cluin
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 11:56 PM

And what the hell is Goofy?

Subject: RE: BS: What species is Big Bird?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 12:01 AM

He's some sort of weird, humanized dog who talks and wears clothes. And Pluto is a regular dog in the same stories. Figure that out if you can.