# Insects,Birds, and Animals???!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 29, 2004, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insects-birds-and-animals/257376 "2004-07-29T02:51:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rippingtons\_fan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rippingtons_fan/32/11767_2.png) [@rippingtons\_fan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rippingtons_fan)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2004, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insects-birds-and-animals/257376/1 "2004-07-29T02:51:53Z")
Hi Everybody! One thing that’s always bothered me is when people talk about “insects and animals” or “birds and animals”. Aren’t insects and birds in the animal kingdom? (Are these the same people who call dolphins and whales fish?) ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2004, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insects-birds-and-animals/257376/2 "2004-07-29T02:56:27Z")
Yes, and probably. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2004, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insects-birds-and-animals/257376/3 "2004-07-29T03:04:48Z")
> [@rippingtons\_fan](#): > > Hi Everybody! > > One thing that’s always bothered me is when people talk about “insects and animals” or “birds and animals”. > Aren’t insects and birds in the animal kingdom? (Are these the same people who call dolphins and whales fish?) It depends. A cursory look at a dictionary reveals that it has multiple meanings, not all of which are Linnaean: Main Entry: 1an·i·mal Pronunciation: 'a-n&-m&l Function: noun Etymology: Latin, from animale, neuter of animalis animate, from anima soul – more at ANIMATE 1 : any of a kingdom (Animalia) of living things including many-celled organisms and often many of the single-celled ones (as protozoans) that typically differ from plants in having cells without cellulose walls, in lacking chlorophyll and the capacity for photosynthesis, in requiring more complex food materials (as proteins), in being organized to a greater degree of complexity, and in having the capacity for spontaneous movement and rapid motor responses to stimulation 2 a : one of the lower animals as distinguished from human beings **b : MAMMAL; broadly : VERTEBRATE** 3 : a human being considered chiefly as physical or nonrational; also : this nature 4 : a person with a particular interest or aptitude \ 5 : MATTER, THING \; also : CREATURE 1c (BTW, in case you didn’t know, “dolphin” refers to both a fish and a mammal.")