Why are the Baltimore oriole and Bullocks oriole different species?
The definition of species can vary greatly. The wikipedia definition is what is considered the biological definition. There are 22 different definitions of species based on evolutionary, morphological or biological systems but there is no universal agreement. The Biological species concept is fundamental and easy for all to understand “A group of potentially interbreeding individuals that cannot interbreed with another group” However this is of no use to fossil taxonomists who have to rely on morphological data or evolutionary biologists who believe “Organisms in entirety that maintain their identity from other entities through time and over space…. has its own independent evolutionary fate and historical tendencies.” Even the IUCN has not come up with a species definition (or hadn’t a while ago anyway!) There are a number of different species that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Similar birds from different islands, but with some morphological differences have been kno
