Horse-eating birds and Demon Ducks of Doom: untangling the fowl family tree

Chickens and ducks may not fill you with awe. But their early cousins were the largest birds on Earth – and a new study reveals how the bird groups are linkedWe don ’t generally think of chickens and ducks as particularly awe-inspiring birds. Kept across the world as pets or as a food source, chickens (Galliformes) and ducks and geese (Anseriformes) are ubiquitous and seen as docile and unintimidating. The comparative anatomist Thomas Huxley noted in1867 that Galliformes and Anseriformes shared a number of anatomical features, suggesting that the two groups of birds must be related. Later morphological and molecular studies confirmed their close relationship, and all fowl are now grouped inGalloanserae. Galloanserae are considered one of the most primitive groups of modern birds, and their ancestry can be traced back to the time of the dinosaurs. In contrast to their cuddly modern cousins, early fowl were truly giants by avian measures, and included the largest birds on Earth during thePaleogene.There are several groups of enormous, extinct terrestrial birds that are considered part of Galloanserae. One of them is theDromornithidae, or Thunderbirds, from Australia. These giant flightless birds lived from the Oligocene until the Pleistocene and formed part ofAustralia ’s megafauna(Worthy& Holdaway, 2002). Some dromornithids reached colossal size, such asBullockornis,nicknamed the Demon Duck of Doom,which likely stood 2.5 metres tall.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Birds Fossils Palaeontology Science Evolution Source Type: news