Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery in Antarctica that sheds new light on the evolution of modern birds. A nearly complete skull found in the frozen continent is believed to belong to Vegavis iaai, an ancient ancestor of ducks and geese that lived around 68 million years ago. If confirmed, this species could be the oldest known modern bird.
The fossil’s brain structure and long beak resemble those of today’s waterfowl, but its strong jaw muscles are more similar to those of grebes and loons. This unusual combination has left scientists puzzled about Vegavis’s place in the evolutionary tree.
Unlike other ancient bird fossils found in Madagascar and Argentina, which had teeth and long tails, the discovery in Antarctica suggests a unique development path for birds. The scarcity of modern bird fossils from before the mass extinction that occurred 66 million years ago made it challenging to determine Vegavis’s position in the tree. However, this latest find provides a significant breakthrough in understanding the evolution of modern birds.
Source: https://www.scmp.com/yp/spark/stories/article/3299640/ancient-bird-skull-found-antarctica-could-be-oldest-known-modern-bird