Mistle thrush International Union for Conservation of Nature as being of least concern. The mistle thrush was first described by Linnaeus in his "Systema naturae" in 1758 under its current scientific names. "Turdus" is the Latin for "thrush", and "viscivorus", "mistletoe eater", comes from "viscum" "mistletoe" and "vorare", "to devour". The bird's liking for mistletoe berries is also indicated by its English name, "mistle" being an old name for the plant. There are more than 60 species of medium to large thrushes in the genus "Turdus", characterised by rounded heads, longish pointed wings, and usually melodious songs. A mitochondrial DNA study identified
Herbivore adaptations to plant defense plant material. To break up intact plant tissues, mammals have developed teeth structures that reflect their feeding preferences. For instance, frugivores (animals that feed primarily on fruit) and herbivores that feed on soft foliage have low-crowned teeth specialized for grinding foliage and seeds. Grazing animals that tend to eat hard, silica-rich grasses, have high-crowned teeth, which are capable of grinding tough plant tissues and do not wear down as quickly as low-crowned teeth. Birds grind plant material or crush seeds using their beaks and gizzards. Insect herbivores have evolved a wide range of tools to facilitate feeding. Often these tools