"Утки — это птицы."
Translation:Ducks are birds.
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This question has made my day! :D
It could have such a meaning, but then we'd use a comma, not a dash.
2054
In the comments just above yours szeraja_zhaba posted that definition type sentences in Russian are constructed this way. If correct, presumably the presence of это lends an air of formality about it.
«Это» is not unneccessary (without it, the sentence would sound really unnatural), but it is not translated «those», it's just a way we form definition-like sentences in Russian.
«Those birds are ducks» would be «Э́ти пти́цы — [это] у́тки». In this version, «э́то» would be optional. I can't explain well why it's optional.
«Утки — это птицы» and «Утки — птицы» mean the same thing in Russian, but the former is much more natural than the latter.
I do not understand why Это is used here. In previous examples, это is used for a demonstrative purpose, like: "Это лтицы" which would mean "These are birds" Therefore, would this sentence be translated as: "Ducks - these are birds" and of course the dash equates to nouns. So, why is the statement not simply: "Утки - птицы"?
2054
It happens once in a while. Once or twice a year for me.
Life's a bitch. Then you die.