It is/was an "Avro", the RJ85 in fact. Basically the same thing as a BAE146-200, but with some improvements:
FADEC LF507 engines (the 502's on the 146 series were pieces of #@$%)
Digital Avionics and Autothrottles (EFIS screens)
Digital Pressurization
Cabin changes to provide the look and feel of more space
Weight and Drag savings over the original BAe-146

Don't let the name confuse you though. The original aircraft design was Hawker Siddeley in 1973. They couldn't make a go of it so when British Aerospace succeeded Hawker in 1978 the project was relaunched and type designated the BAe-146. In about 1993, British Aerospace transfered the marketing of an "upgrade" to the 146 to a separate BAe comapny called Avro International Aerospace. The name really had more to do with where the "upgraded" jet was built than anything else. Building took place at Avro Airfield.

The two aircraft have different type designators BAE-146 vs. AVR-146. Mesaba flies the AVR-146-RJ85A or just RJ85 in the logbook. When you receive the AVR-146 type rating, you automatically get the BAE-146 type as well. I am not sure if it works vice-versa or not.

It was a great airplane to fly. Only jet that could get in and out of Aspen, CO. The airplane can fly so slow that turning inside of the terrain in the event of a balked landing is/was not an issue.

The airplane remains very popular in Europe. NWA (largely because of scope) had the aircraft configured with only 69 seats for Mesaba. Economics of 4 engines burning roughly 5000 pph with only 69 seats did not make sense. A lot of us thought that NWA may work out something to continue to operate that aircraft with closer to the full compliment of 112 seats (85 seats is comfortable) and the aircraft would be quite profitable in that configuration and still able to serve the lucrative Aspen market.

Sad to see them leaving North America. It was a fun airplane to fly and a great airplane to ride in. I will miss her.