Talk:3204: Dinosaurs And Non-Dinosaurs

I don't think that's a stork. My guess would be that it's a heron. The bird in the lower right also looks like some sort of shorebird, but I've got no clue. 99.26.146.61 (talk) 19:45, 6 February 2026 (UTC) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)

I changed egret to heron. If there is some distinguishing feature in the outline that makes it clear that this an egret, as compared to the more general heron, please document (either in explanation or comments). 107.77.205.200 19:02, 7 February 2026 (UTC)

I feel like this comic should be in the explanation https://xkcd.com/1211/ 2600:4041:2E5:B900:66D3:74AD:D92D:356B 20:36, 6 February 2026 (UTC)

Could it have a brief layman's explanation of how/why the top right *aren't* dinosaurs? Y'know beyond just "well, technically..." 91.84.189.119 06:52, 7 February 2026 (UTC)

They are not dinosaurs because dinosaurs are only a subgroup of prehistoric animals living on land. Others are flying or underwater reptiles (don’t know the real names of those), or just plain reptiles who have existed (as a group) for far longer. Dinos are technically named „land reptiles“, but are not reptiles. It’s a bit confusing and this is where my half knowledge ends

2A00:1E:82C2:D401:F4A3:23F3:8A2D:63B1 09:33, 7 February 2026 (UTC)

Saying “dinosaurs are not reptiles” isn’t true, but more importantly is a strange thing to say in a scientific context. If you are using “reptile” informally, then the definition of one is fuzzy anyways. If using it cladistically, then reptile pretty much means “sauropsid” which includes dinosaurs and thus birds, which are not informally/traditionally included, so you might as well use the less ambiguous term “sauropsid”. Terdragontra (talk) 15:46, 7 February 2026 (UTC)

Yeah, the common definition of reptiles doesn't match a single evolutionary group, as crocodiles are more closely related to dinosaurs, and thus birds, than they are to lizards. Turtles separated earlier, so are equally related to both of those groups. To answer the original point, dinosaurs are defined as all the animals descended from a certain common ancestor, which they only relatively recently realized includes birds, and not just some long extinct animals known only from fossils. There are aome other animals also known only from fossils in the same time period that the general public often mistakenly thinks are dinosaurs, but are not closely related to them, being closer to other groups of living animals.--2600:100A:B12D:723E:FCD9:2B70:1145:6A44 07:26, 8 February 2026 (UTC)

Did anyone else think that "Pseudo-such" things were a made up thing for staplers? Kev (talk) 13:36, 7 February 2026 (UTC

I’m interested at the things somewhere on the boundaries. Some basal forms are sometimes included as dinosaurs and sometimes just outside the clade. And som nonbird dinosaurs are somewhat birdlike, and shoebills feel more dinosaury than the average bird (while hummingbirds feel less so). Terdragontra (talk) 15:48, 7 February 2026 (UTC)

What bird is in the lower right of the Are dinosuars, but don't seem like dinousaurs box? Currently the explanation says "falcon" - not clear why somebody thought it was a falcon. Whatever ID we give, should have some explanation. The wings look not as long front to back as a falcon. It also lacks a falcons spread tail (which can be tucked in or course). Also lacks the hooked beak typical of a falcon. The long narrow wings suggest a relatively long distance flyer.

It lacks the split tail typical of a swallow or swift. The beak isn't long enough for an albatross or similar. Gulls typically have bigger beak and rounded head. A petrel is my current best guess. A tern, shearwater or skua also seem possible. 107.77.205.200 19:36, 7 February 2026 (UTC)

I would have gone with describing it as a generic gull. Which would be wrong, in its own way, but at least not as wrong as 'seagull' ;) 81.179.199.253 20:46, 7 February 2026 (UTC)