Loon-like waterfowl from dinosaur-era Antarctica is oldest 'modern' bird
Near the end of the age of dinosaurs, a bird resembling today's loons and grebes dove for fish and other prey in the perilous waters off Antarctica. Thanks to a nearly complete fossil skull, scientists now have identified this waterfowl as the oldest-known member of the lineage spanning all birds alive today.
Ancient Antarctica's Modern Bird: Unveiling the World's Oldest 'Modern' Waterfowl
In recent scientific breakthroughs, fossils of a waterfowl dating back to the dinosaur era were discovered in Antarctica, revealing this bird as the oldest 'modern' bird ancestor. Research also has uncovered massive lunar canyons formed by asteroid impacts and the world's first gene-edited polo horses in Argentina.
Fossil of oldest known modern bird discovered in Antarctica
A 68-million-year-old skull fossil found in Antarctica has revealed the oldest known modern bird, which was likely related to the waterfowl that live by lakes and oceans today, according to new research.
Ancient duck-like creature discovered in Antarctica may be the oldest modern bird ever discovered
A new and nearly complete skull of Vegavis iaai discovered in Antarctica suggests that modern birds originated before the end-Cretaceous mass extinction.
Paleontologists Discover Fossil of the Oldest Known Modern Bird—but It Raises More Questions Than It Answers
Paleontologists have been arguing whether modern birds developed before or after the infamous asteroid for decades. Now, a team of researchers has analyzed a 69-million-year-old fossil belonging to the long-extinct bird Vegavis iaai that could put the discussion to rest.
Remarkable Fossil Discovery Hints at Antarctic Origins of All Modern Birds
A near-perfect fossilized skull discovered in Antarctica reveals the bridge between prehistoric and modern birds, a new study has found. The fossil is a specimen of a species called Vegavis iaai, which lived around 69 million years ago – more than 2 million years before the mass extinction that wiped out all non-avian dinosaurs.
69-million-year-old duck-like bird from dinosaur era discovered in Antarctica
This evidence comes from a nearly complete, 69-million-year-old skull of an extinct bird, named Vegavis iaai. The fossil is the oldest known modern bird, an early relative of ducks and geese. This extinct bird inhabited the shallow oceans off the coast of Antarctica during the reign of T.
Hundreds of dead ducks washed up on southern Lake Michigan shore. Why? And could it happen again?
While it's tragic and alarming to see a massive die-off, it's not uncommon for birds that travel in such large populations.
Science News1d
Earth’s first waterfowl may have lived in Antarctica 69 million years ago
A few fossilized body parts hinted at an enigmatic bird's close ties to waterfowl like ducks and geese. A newfound skull may bolster that idea.
New Hampshire Public Radio8h
What to know about bird flu in New Hampshire: From backyard flocks to waterfowl
The virus is circulating in some wild birds here. But so far, it hasn’t spread to any commercial poultry flocks or dairy ...
lex184h
Bird flu reported in 10 KY counties, several more counties awaiting test results
Avian influenza, also known as the bird flu, has been a topic of conversation recently as more positive cases in wild birds ...
Courthouse News Service1d
Ancient Antarctic fossil sheds light on early waterfowl evolution
Antarctica may have been a refuge for early waterfowl ancestors, shielding them from the mass extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs.
Seven friends’ Kansas waterfowl hunting trip ends in tragedy with D.C. plane crash
The hunting buddies worked as tradesmen in Maryland. Three of their group survived because they drove their bird dogs home.
Dead waterfowl at Lake Julian Park tests positive for bird flu, county says
A dead waterfowl discovered at Lake Julian Park received a "preliminary positive test result" for bird flu, the county said ...
CT waterfowl deaths prompt bird flu warning to wildlife rehabilitators: ‘Can spread like wildfire’
A state official warned Connecticut wildlife rehabilitators on waterfowl deaths due to bird flu and how to guard against the ...
Avian flu found in waterfowl in some counties. Hunters, others advised to take care.
Avian flu has recently been detected in dead waterfowl in LaPorte, Lake, Porter, Starke and seven other counties in the state ...