Abstract​ Enantiornithines were the dominant birds of the Mesozoic, but understanding of their diet is still tenuous. We introduce new data on the enantiornithine family Bohaiornithidae, famous for their large size and powerfully built teeth and claws. In tandem with previously published data, we comment on the breadth of enantiornithine ecology and potential patterns in which it evolved. Body mass, jaw mechanical advantage, finite element analysis of the jaw, and... Read more ..read more

Thomas W. LaBarge, Jacob D. Gardner and Chris L. Organ. 2024 The evolution and ecology of gigantism in terror birds (Aves, Phorusrhacidae) Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 291 (2021). 20240235. doi:10.1098/rspb.2024.0235. Abstract Terror birds (Aves, Phorusrhacidae) were large flightless apex predators in South America during the Cenozoic. Here, we estimate a new phylogeny for phorusrhacids using... Read more ..read more

Boev, Z., N. Nedyalkov, D. Georgiev, and N. Spassov (2024) Late Pleistocene birds and mammals from the Kiliite Cave (central Stara Planina Mts – central North Bulgaria) Geologica Balcanica 53: 105–115 doi: 10.52321/GeolBalc.53.1.105 The studied fossil material of birds and mammals from a new Late Pleistocene site in the Stara Planina (Balkan) mountain range is herein presented. The age of the site was determined on the basis of the taxonomic composition of the mammal... Read more ..read more

Acosta Hospitaleche, C., F. Irazoqui, P. Bona, and A. Paulina-Carabajal (2024) Review of the Cretaceous avian diversity of Antarctica: a changing scenario for the evolution of early Neornithine birds Advances in Polar Science 35: 1–13 doi: 10.12429/j.advps.2023.0025 The worldwide record of Cretaceous Neornithes and Neornithine-like birds is both controversial and poorly understood. However, in recent years, the Antarctic continent has yielded a substantial number of... Read more ..read more

Nikita V. Zelenkov, 2024 Grouse (Aves: Phasianidae: Tetraonini) from the Early Pleistocene of Crimea, and the Taxonomic Status of Lagopus atavus Paleontological Journal Volume 58, pages 112–123, Abstract: Grouse (Aves: Phasianidae: Tetraonini) from the Early Pleistocene of Crimea, and the Taxonomic Status of Lagopus atavus - Paleontological Journal Remains of Lyrurus partium Kretzoi, 1962 and “Lagopus” atavus Jánossy, 1974... Read more ..read more

Matsuoka, H., R. Seoka, and Y. Hasegawa (2024) Reexamination of the prepelvic vertebrae found in the holotype of Annakacygna hajimei (Aves, Anseriformes, Cygnini) revealed the adaptive morphology of vertebral column linked to the mode of life of the "ultimate bird" Bulletin of Gunma Museum of Natural History 28: 15–44 Annakacygna hajimei is an extinct flightless bird described from the marine Miocene (11.5 Ma) of Annaka, Gunma, Japan. Totally 17 prepelvic... Read more ..read more

For descriptions of all fossil Avialae (Protoavidae; Incertae Sedis; Scansoriopterygidae; Praeornithidae; Incertae Sedis) see: Descriptions of all fossil Avialae For descriptions of all fossil Archaeopterygidae, Jeholornithiformes and Yandangornithiformes see: Descriptions of all fossil Archaeopterygiformes For descriptions of all fossil Rahonaviformes see: Descriptions of all fossil Rahonaviformes For descriptions of all fossil Confuciusornithidae and... Read more ..read more

Gerald Mayr & Andrew C. Kitchene, 2024 The Picocoraciades (hoopoes, rollers, woodpeckers, and allies) from the early Eocene London Clay of Walton‑on‑the‑Naze PalZ. doi:10.1007/s12542-024-00687-9. Abstract: The Picocoraciades (hoopoes, rollers, woodpeckers, and allies) from the early Eocene London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze - PalZ We describe upupiform, coraciiform, and possible piciform birds from the early Eocene London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze (Essex, UK). The... Read more ..read more

Tennyson, A.J.D., R.B. Salvador, B.M. Tomotani, and F.G. Marx (2024) A new diving Pliocene Ardenna shearwater (Aves: Procellariidae) from New Zealand Taxonomy 4: 237–249 doi: 10.3390/taxonomy4020012 We report a new species of shearwater, Ardenna buchananbrowni sp. nov., from the Pliocene of New Zealand. It is both the smallest and oldest known diving member of the genus, demonstrating that this now abundant form of shearwater has had a long presence in southern... Read more ..read more

Zelenkov, N.V. (2024) Cuban macaw Ara tricolor in the Upper Pleistocene of western Cuba Doklady Biological Sciences (advance online publication) doi: 10.1134/S0012496624700947 The Cuban macaw Ara tricolor (Bechstein, 1811) is an extinct species of large parrots. Its historical distribution and ecology are poorly understood. To date, only three late Quaternary paleontological and one archeozoological (17th–18th centuries) finds of the species have been described from... Read more ..read more