How birds got their beaks - new fossil evidence (1 Viewer)

Scientists have pieced together the skull of a strange ancient bird, revealing a primitive beak lined with teeth.

The "transitional" bird sheds light on a pivotal point in the pathway from dinosaurs to modern birds.

Ichthyornis dispar lived in North America about 86 million years ago.

The seagull-sized bird had a beak and a brain much like modern birds, but the sharp teeth and powerful jaws of dinosaurs like Velociraptor.

"It shows us what the first bird beak looked like," said Bhart-Anjan Bhullar of Yale University, a study researcher.

"It's a real mosaic of features, a transitional form."


Article here

Already posted in the taxonomy forum under palaentology

I think that there are a couple of forums that are 'crossovers' and coule easily been done away with e.g 'bird news from around the World' and 'news from birding and nature organisations' and even 'birds and birding?

Do you not think that the site could be 'slimmed' down a bit, I often wonder at the appropriate forum to place a thread, all the above could come under one banner?



A

andyadcock said:

Already posted in the taxonomy forum under palaentology

I think that there are a couple of forums that are 'crossovers' and coule easily been done away with e.g 'bird news from around the World' and 'news from birding and nature organisations' and even 'birds and birding?

Do you not think that the site could be 'slimmed' down a bit, I often wonder at the appropriate forum to place a thread, all the above could come under one banner?



A

Click to expand...

I agree with you about "Bird News from around the World" but not the other two. I think it useful to have the nature organisations press releases in one place because it actually means that sometimes I look at stuff I wouldn't otherwise (because I don't know about you but I don't trawl every corner of BF.)

I have wondered, though not to the extent of reporting, why the current carpet-bombing of Birds and Birding with individual species videos is being allowed and not e.g. moved to BF TV (which I never look at)?

I suspect other opinions will surface.....

John

I think there are some areas which are duplicated, but I don't think Bird News from around the World is unnecessary as it contains links to articles, or articles which people who don't frequent the specialist boards, might miss.