None other than CARDINALIS CARDINALIS! Forgive the subpar image quality; these creatures are much to flifty to capture properly. Besides, all mysterious monster sightings involving photographs demand low resolution and static.
Velociraptor left.
None other than CARDINALIS CARDINALIS! Forgive the subpar image quality; these creatures are much to flifty to capture properly. Besides, all mysterious monster sightings involving photographs demand low resolution and static.
Velociraptor left.
''' Africa's secretary bird, a raptor with crane-like legs, delivers delivers highly powerful and keen - precise kicks to subdue prey like Snakes - New research reveals these strikes, exceeding five times The the bird's body weight, are pre-programmed, relying on exceptional visual targeting and neural coordination. This unique hunting mechanism offers insights for robotics and prosthetic design... '''
'''' Secretary birds feed primarily on snakes, including venomous species such as cobras and puff adders, but their diet also includes mammals, amphibians, and larger insects.
Unlike eagles, which seize prey with their talons, secretary birds rely on repeated, high-force kicks to disable or kill. Their strikes are fast and controlled, allowing them to deliver fatal blows while maintaining a safe distance from a snake’s fangs.
The repeated kicking method minimizes risk from venomous prey and showcases the bird’s remarkable combination of power and precision in hunting. The recent Current Biology study focused on the biomechanics of these strikes using a male bird named Madeleine.
Researchers recorded his attacks on a rubber snake using high-speed cameras and a force plate, capturing the most detailed data on the species’ striking force. The results revealed an average peak force exceeding five times the bird’s body weight, or roughly 195 newtons. For comparison, this is greater than the force exerted during high-speed running in other large birds and comparable to the forces produced in maximal leaps.
The ability to produce such force quickly and accurately reflects a highly optimized evolutionary trait unique to the secretary bird... ''''
Quote : ''' A plan to genetically engineer a version of the dodo, a giant flightless bird that disappeared 400 years ago and became the poster child for extinction, has made some headway, according to Texas-based biotechnology firm Colossal Biosciences.
The company’s scientists said they have succeeded in culturing specialized cells from the rock dove — better known as the humble pigeon. They plan to use the same or similar techniques to culture cells from the dodo’s closest living relative, the Nicobar pigeon, which is from the same family of birds.
Colossal is years away from its long-term goal of creating a living, walking approximation of the dodo that would be indistinguishable from its extinct forerunner, but it described the advance as a “pivotal step.”
[ ● ] Colossal also announced Wednesday that it had raised $120 million in additional funding for its work for a total of $555 million since launching in September 2021.
Baminornis is a newly described genus of prehistoric bird from the Jurassic. While not the only known Jurassic bird (Archaeopteryx and another guy), it is an important discovery due to it having a short tail and a Pygostyle, unlike Archaeopteryx, which has a long tail.
What’s truly bizarre is that Baminornis is more basal than Jeholornis, and early bird from the early Cretaceous with a long tail. Because Baminornis is more derived than Archaeopteryx but more basal than Jeholornis, this suggests that Jeholornis and its allies evolved a long tail independently from other long tailed birds, and also had short tailed ancestors.
Additionally, a new Sperm whale from the Pliocene has been described, named Eophyseter.
And a new genus of Crocodylomorph from the Triassic, named Pattisaura
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02724634.2024.2446604
EDIT: Apparently the bird doesn’t have a Pygostyle, but nonetheless, Jurassic birds are still cool.
I'm kind of confused about what they are, there placed in Avialae, but no one calls them birds even though a lot of people call all members of Avialae "Birds".
In other words, I'm asking, are they birds? or are they non avian dinosaurs? Or just something else that goes in between.
10 Votes in Poll
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-43445-2
@Ganimes @11duckhunt @Shieldon.BAH @Eren Freeman @Harpy Eagle Enthusiast I pinged y'all because you guys dig birbs !
24 Votes in Poll