flightless birds: Surprising discovery reveals how giant flightless birds reached distant lands

Birds, such as ostrich, such as Emus and Rheas, spread to six continents separated by large oceans. How these big birds live in such distant places without wings and flying ability to fly for a long time have had astonishing scientists. A recent study, which evaluates the fossils of its former ancestors, shows that these birds can once make long -distance flights and allow them to reach isolated areas before they turn into gigantic, non -flying species.

Early hypotheses and timing problems

A theory showed that Paleghnath ancestors walked to these places when most of the planet was combined as the super -continent Pangea (320 million to 195 million years ago). After Landmass leaving, birds were already present.
However, this timeline contradicts genetic evidence. While Pangea was disintegrated about 195 million years ago, the last row Paleognaths had lived about 79.6 million years ago, and the big descendants left 70 million to 62 million years ago.

Investigating old fossils

A spine zoologian Zoologian Klara Widrig at the Smithsonian National Natural History Museum examined an example of former Paleognath Lithornis Mixed. He lived roughly 59 to 56 million years ago, the oldest Paleognath fossil discovered in the intact state.

“We cannot be sure whether Lithornis is the direct ancestor of our living Paleognaths – it is entirely possible that the real ancestor is not yet discovered – but represents our best prediction as to what the ancestor would look like.” Live science.

Old Paleognaths’ flight capabilities

OLD STUDIES Calciavis GrandeiRegarding the species, he said he could fly, but the distances were not determined. Last Study, Published Letters of BiologyThree -dimensional geometric assessment of the sternum, L. complex To examine your flight ability.
“Sternum is very important for the flight, because large pectoral flight muscles have anchor.” The findings show that they can perform continuous, aerobic whisk flight potential.

Similarities with modern long -distance brochures

“We found that the shape of the chest bone is really similar to that of living birds that can fly long distances between oceans such as large fish and fish.” Widrig said.

“This is very interesting because it is a great white cosmopolitan species, because he travels from the Continent to the continent,” said Peter Hosner, the curator of birds at the Danish Nature History Museum.

Convergent Evolution and Modern Paleognaths

These results show that the old Paleghnaths may have been flying to the remote continents and eventually transformed into non -flying species. “This seems to be a great convergent case of evolution.”

Today, there are about 60 species including Tinamous, Kiwis, Emus, Cassowaries, Ostrocus and Rheas.

“In order for a bird to fly, two conditions need to be met.” He should be able to take all their food to the ground… And there cannot be predators that he will need to escape. “

Evolutionary adaptations to flightlessness

After 66 million years ago, after the cretse-paleogen destruction, non-predatory situations made a few ground feeding birds without flight. Later, the predators finally appeared, which resulted in adaptations such as cassowaries or speed (ostrich).

Widrig, “This is not as if he had a conference meeting with each other, and ‘Okay, you go to Africa and you will turn into an ostrich. I will go to South America. I will turn into a Rhea’ he said.

FAQ:

Q1: What are non -flying birds?
Flying birds are non -flying species. They usually move or run.

Q2: Who were the ancestors of modern flying birds?
The ancestors were the old Paleghnaths who could fly long distances. Eventually, they developed independently for ostrich, Emus, Rheas and other non -flying species.