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 saliva for the caterpillar "Helicoverpa zea", counteracts the production of induced defenses in tobacco. Similarly, aphid saliva reduces its host's induced response by forming a barrier between the aphid's stylet and the plant cells. Herbivores can avoid plant defenses by eating plants selectively in space and time. For the winter moth, feeding on oak leaves early in the season maximized the amount of protein and nutrients available to the moth, while minimizing the amount of tannins produced by the tree. Herbivores can also spatially avoid plant defenses. The piercing mouthparts of species in "Hemiptera" allow them to feed around areas