In 2003, the shoebill was again suggested as closer to the pelicans (based on anatomical comparisons) or the herons (based on biochemical evidence). (wikipedia.org)
The neck is relatively shorter and thicker than other long-legged wading birds such as herons and cranes. (wikipedia.org)
[5] When in 1758 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his Systema Naturae for the tenth edition , he placed the sarus crane with the herons and cranes in the genus Ardea . (wikipedia.org)
Prey2
All that is known of Eremopezus is that it was a very large, probably flightless bird with a flexible foot, allowing it to handle either vegetation or prey. (wikipedia.org)
Given the flamingo's long legs, it makes sense for it to have a long neck to better reach prey, no craning required. (sandiegozoo.org)
Cervical vertebrae2
Birds have more cervical vertebrae than other animals, so keeping the skeletal structure lightweight is key. (sandiegozoo.org)
We then examine the osteology of sauropod necks more closely, comparing their cervical anatomy with that of their nearest extant relatives, the birds and crocodilians, and discussing unusual features of sauropods' cervical vertebrae. (peerj.com)
Extant1
The exposed culmen (or the measurement along the top of the upper mandible) is 18.8 to 24 cm (7.4 to 9.4 in), the third longest bill among extant birds after pelicans and large storks, and can outrival the pelicans in bill circumference, especially if the bill is considered as the hard, bony keratin portion. (wikipedia.org)
Theropods2
Not only do sharks and monitor lizards fall down compared to theropods in terms of just about every meaningful gross anatomical/metabolic characteristic but the trait that is usually put forth as the unifying character linking these groups - serrated teeth - as I argued here both old & new world vultures (and giant petrels) have likely evolved an equivalent method of cutting and shredding carcasses: choanal grinding. (blogspot.com)
Although consensus exists among researchers that birds evolved from coelurosaurian theropods, paleontologists still debate the identification of the group of coelurosaurians that most closely approaches the common ancestor of birds. (booksaboutbirds.co.uk)
Extinct1
Some modern birds and certain extinct tetrapods have necks that are relatively long (i.e. as a proportion of total body length). (peerj.com)
Modern birds1
The reader is introduced to key features of basal avians and the morphological transformations that have occurred in the evolution towards modern birds. (booksaboutbirds.co.uk)
Necks2
T here are many modern-day birds that make full use of their long, slender necks. (sandiegozoo.org)
This is of interest because of the great mechanical difficulties imposed by absolutely long necks, and the anatomical novelties that needed to evolve to make such necks possible. (peerj.com)
Tetrapods1
2016). Identification of herbivory in these tetrapods is based primarily on their dentition and skull structures, which indicate, to varying degrees, the ability to crop and masticate vegetation. (palaeo-electronica.org)
Avian3
By understanding the unique features of hopping birds, we can appreciate the diversity of avian species and gain insight into how animals adapt to specific modes of movement. (chipperbirds.com)
Birds of Stone makes visible the unexpected avian diversity that blanketed the earth just a short time (geologically speaking) after a dinosaur lineage gave rise to the first birds. (booksaboutbirds.co.uk)
This book gives an overview of the avian fossil record and its paleobiological significance, and it is the only up to date textbook that covers both Mesozoic and more modern type Cenozoic birds in some detail. (booksaboutbirds.co.uk)
Woodlands2
These medium-sized birds are found in forests and woodlands, where they hop around searching for berries and insects. (chipperbirds.com)
The tallest of the flying birds, standing at a height of up to 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in), they are a conspicuous species of open wetlands in South Asia, seasonally flooded Dipterocarpus forests in Southeast Asia, and Eucalyptus -dominated woodlands and grasslands in Australia. (wikipedia.org)
Dinosaurs2
What Do Face Biting Birds - Including Turkeys - Tell Us About Face Biting Dinosaurs? (blogspot.com)
In Flying Dinosaurs award-winning journalist John Pickrell reveals how dinosaurs developed flight and became the birds in our backyards. (booksaboutbirds.co.uk)
Species4
It's essential to note that certain species of hopping birds display specific adaptations in their anatomical structures, such as elongated toes or fast-twitch muscles, that enable them to hop even more efficiently than other types of hopping birds. (chipperbirds.com)
Explore further by learning about the flight patterns of different bird species and discover the remarkable ways in which our feathered friends can navigate different environments. (chipperbirds.com)
[8] In the resulting rearrangement to create monophyletic genera, four species, including the sarus crane, were placed in the resurrected genus Antigone that had originally been erected by German naturalist Ludwig Reichenbach in 1853. (wikipedia.org)
Edward Blyth published a monograph on the cranes in 1881, in which he considered the "sarus crane" of India to be made up of two species, Grus collaris and Grus antigone . (wikipedia.org)
Range3
The shoebill is a tall bird, with a typical height range of 110 to 140 cm (43 to 55 in) and some specimens reaching as much as 152 cm (60 in). (wikipedia.org)
Length from tail to beak can range from 100 to 140 cm (39 to 55 in) and wingspan is 230 to 260 cm (7 ft 7 in to 8 ft 6 in). (wikipedia.org)
Gordodon is the oldest known tetrapod herbivore with a dentary diastema, extending the temporal range of that anatomical feature back 95 million years from the Late Triassic. (palaeo-electronica.org)
Fossil1
It has been suggested that the enigmatic African fossil bird Eremopezus was a relative too, but the evidence for that is unconfirmed. (wikipedia.org)
Features1
Except for these birds such features may offer more utility in fights over territory and food as opposed to sexo-social battles as in the other birds mentioned. (blogspot.com)
Found3
Microscopic analysis of eggshell structure by Konstantin Mikhailov in 1995 found that the eggshells of shoebills closely resembled those of other Pelecaniformes in having a covering of thick microglobular material over the crystalline shells. (wikipedia.org)
The sarus crane ( Antigone antigone ) is a large nonmigratory crane found in parts of the Indian subcontinent , Southeast Asia , and Australia . (wikipedia.org)
[7] The sarus crane was formerly placed in the genus Grus , but a molecular phylogenetic study published in 2010 found that the genus, as then defined, was polyphyletic . (wikipedia.org)
Vegetation1
Additionally, hopping allows birds to move around swiftly in dense vegetation where it's difficult to run or fly. (chipperbirds.com)
Long6
The shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) also known as the whalebill, whale-headed stork, and shoe-billed stork is a large long-legged wading bird. (wikipedia.org)
Of course, there are other anatomical constraints, but if an animal can maximize its reproductive success, then even a risky trait, like a long neck, can thrive in the gene pool. (sandiegozoo.org)
A long neck also comes in handy if you need to get your beak somewhere you don't necessarily want the rest of your body to go-underwater, for instance. (sandiegozoo.org)
Like other cranes, they form long-lasting pair bonds and maintain territories within which they perform territorial and courtship displays that include loud trumpeting, leaps, and dance-like movements. (wikipedia.org)
Now right here one can insert a whole discussion on cock fights, the long history of breeding fighter birds by humans, and the ethical issues raised. (blogspot.com)
Chatterjee takes us to where long-hidden bird fossils dwell. (booksaboutbirds.co.uk)
Back2
Come mealtime, a flamingo stands in shallow water, lowering and tilting its beak below the surface to "filter feed," sweeping its head back and forth to collect aquatic insects, crustaceans, mollusks, even algae, and occasionally small fish. (sandiegozoo.org)
Or just negating the potential for thermoregulatory capacity in scaley structures at all and dismissing them as "inferior" or harkening back to more "primitive" gestalts. (blogspot.com)
Type2
Hopping is a particular type of movement where the bird propels itself forwards by bouncing off its legs alternately. (chipperbirds.com)
However somewhat embedded in this suggestion is that such insulatory "protofeathers", "dino-fuzz" or "quilly" type structures are wholly and completely superior to "naked" scutes and scales in terms of insulatory potential. (blogspot.com)
Small2
Hopping is a unique mode of movement used by birds that involves a series of small jumps. (chipperbirds.com)
These small brown birds are common in the backyard and urban areas, often seen pecking at the ground. (chipperbirds.com)
In flight, a flock of flamingos is a sight to behold, with the birds' neck and legs stretched out straight as a train. (sandiegozoo.org)
Food1
These bright red birds have a distinctive "hip-hop" style when they hop around bushes in search of food. (chipperbirds.com)
History5
In 1743 the English naturalist George Edwards included an illustration and a description of the sarus crane in the first volume of his A Natural History of Uncommon Birds . (wikipedia.org)
Our visual journey through these fossils is guided by Luis M. Chiappe, a world expert on early birds, and Meng Qingjin, a leading figure in China's natural history museum community. (booksaboutbirds.co.uk)
Anyone interested in the history of life from paleontologists to inquisitive birders will find Birds of Stone an irresistible feast for the eyes and mind. (booksaboutbirds.co.uk)
Knowledge of the evolutionary history of birds has much improved in recent decades. (booksaboutbirds.co.uk)
This review of the evolutionary history of birds not only addresses students and established researchers, but it may also be a useful source of information for anyone else with an interest in the evolution of birds and a moderate background in biology and geology. (booksaboutbirds.co.uk)
Move2
While hopping allows birds to move quickly over uneven terrain and avoid predators or obstacles quickly, walking provides them with better stability during ground-based activities like feeding or foraging. (chipperbirds.com)
Many birds prefer to move around by hopping instead of walking or flying. (chipperbirds.com)
Legs2
These birds use their legs to push off the ground and propel themselves forward. (chipperbirds.com)
Hopping birds have short but strong legs which serve as powerful springs to propel them upwards into the air. (chipperbirds.com)
Tree2
even some tree-dwelling birds like woodpeckers and nuthatches use this mode of movement while climbing up and down trees. (chipperbirds.com)
These tiny birds with black caps on their heads hop quickly along tree trunks, making sharp turns with ease. (chipperbirds.com)
Flexible1
Finally, these birds have sturdy and flexible toes , which permit a strong grip on various surfaces and allows them to perch or stand with ease. (chipperbirds.com)