Wikipedia:Featured article candidates/Blackbird

The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted 22:39, 7 January 2008.

Blackbird edit

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I'm nominating this article for featured article because it has been expanded and improved since GA. Jimfbleak (talk) 07:12, 31 December 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Comments – I have some points on which the article might be improved:
- The English names of species, such as "blackbird", shouldn't be written with a capital letter, according to naming conventions Wikipedia:Naming conventions#Animals, plants, and other organisms. - Probably done, but I'm afraid I may have missed some - Nousernamesleft^{talk and matrix?} 21:11, 31 December 2007 (UTC)[reply]
  - See item 3 of that link and Wikipedia:WikiProject Birds
    - Undone; see the references above for bird capitalization. Sorry (and will review later) Rufous-crowned Sparrow (talk) 21:34, 31 December 2007 (UTC)[reply]
- The lead says "but a few", I don't think the word "but" is appropriate here. Done
- Avoid the use of words like "noisy" (lead). Done
- Split the sentence about singing and nests (lead).{{done}
- Try to group information about location in the lead.{{done}
- Avoid the use of "is most likely to be confused" and (Similar species). Done

– Ilse @ 10:17, 31 December 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Support ~~Nearly nearly there~~ - couple of things that have just come to mind on comprehensiveness: cheers, Casliber (talk · contribs) 13:25, 31 December 2007 (UTC)[reply]

~~Is there anything on phylogenetics/evolution - what are its closest relatives within Turdus, also just a little on what lies in Turdidae may be good, but not a deal-breaker.~~

Done for genus (that's 65 sp alone)Jimfbleak (talk) 16:54, 31 December 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I am about 98% sure the introduction to Oz and NZ was by the Acclimatisation society but I don't have a ref. Their 19th century antics are interesting and this is an absolute key article to link to them. I'll see what I can find but can't promise I can prioritise this highly.

I'm sure you're right, they are the usual suspects, but I can't find a definitive confirmation -thanks for the dates, I couldn't get those myself. Jimfbleak (talk) 16:54, 31 December 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Overall very good - maybe ask Sabines Sunbird for some help with research papers.

~~Yikes! a cite tag in Natural threats cheers,~~ Casliber (talk · contribs) 12:50, 3 January 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Done - was actually referenced by the Gregoire cite, but another ref in the middle of the sentence meant that wasn't clear, so repeated ref. Jimfbleak (talk) 13:13, 3 January 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Support ~~Comments~~: Overall this article looks good. It is well-written and well-cited and has both good and geographically varied pictures of the bird. I gave the article a few tweaks and have just a few suggestions I would like addressed before I support.

I would consider moving Taxonomy to becoming the first section per other bird FAs and so that the reader would have some reference before hitting the subspecies references in Description. Done
Under distribution, what elevation do the birds go up to? Done
Why was the Newfoundland bird accepted as wild while the Quebec one wasn’t?

Not known, should I remove Quebec ref?

No, leave it in, no reason to cut it though elaboration would have been nice Rufous-crowned Sparrow (talk) 07:01, 5 January 2008 (UTC)[reply]

In Taxonomy’s second paragraph, could you clarify what “but not to one or other common black European birds,” means? Maybe rephrase? Done
Could you provide scientific names for all species in Taxonomy’s third paragraph? Done
When you refer to subspecies in Behavior, maybe you should include genus and species along with the subspecific name (looks weird by itself), ie F.a. rufousus Done

Other than these, I think that the article looks pretty good. Thanks. Rufous-crowned Sparrow (talk) 04:49, 5 January 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Looks good now. I supported above. Rufous-crowned Sparrow (talk) 19:22, 5 January 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Comments
- "There are about 65 species of medium to large thrushes in the genus Turdus, characterised by rounded heads..." should it say "genus Turdus, which are characterised by..."
- "Young birds vary in the shade of brown, with darker birds presumably males." the phrasing is a bit awkward. maybe say "Young birds are varying shades of brown; the darker birds are presumably male."?

-heyjude. 00:02, 7 January 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Support - Full disclosure, I am a member of WP:BIRD but have had no part in working on this article. Sabine's Sunbird talk 01:21, 7 January 2008 (UTC)[reply]

The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.