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Which are the ancestors of our birds? (Part 1)

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The fossil record of early birds is very incomplete, because their bones are so fragile and don't fossilize well. Since feathers don't fossilize very well either, no one really knows what these extinct birds look like. Modern reconstructions are, therefore, based on educated guesses.

Now, let us look at some early birds other than Archaeopteryx.

DIATRYMA
Diatryma were humansized heavily built flightless birds that date from the Tertiary to the early Eocence period 38 million to 2 million years ago.
They were about 2.1m tall had thick legs with clawed feet, tiny wings and huge powerful hooked beaks on a big head. They were probably carnivorous and perhaps the top predators in what is now Western Europe and North America in an environment that was a tree-covered plain. They nested on the ground.
Diatryma gigantea was named by paleontologist E.D.Cope in 1876 from a New Mexico fossil.

EOALULAVIS
Eoalulavis was the earliest bird that was good at flying, even at low speed. This extra flight control is obtained from a tuft of feathers on the thumb called the alula-it also helps in take offs and landings. Fossils of this bird have been found in Spain.

DINORNIS
The largest bird that ever lived. This flightless bird is extinct but it lived in New Zealand until the early 1800's.

HESPERORNIS
Hesperornis(meaning Western bird) was an early flightless bird that lived during the late Cretaceous period. This diving bird was about 1m long and had webbed feet, a long, toothed beak and strong legs. Although it couldn't fly, Hesperornis was probably a strong swimmer and is likely to have lived near coastlines and ate fish. Fossils of this bird have been found in North America.

MONONYKUS
Mononykus (meaning single claw) was a small, insect-eater from the late Cretaceous period, about 72 million years ago. Mononykus had short arms with one long thick clawed finger on each hand, hence its name. It was lightly built, had long thin legs and a long tail. Mononykus was roughly 70cm long. A fossil was found in Mongolia in 1923.
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