Lioptilus nigricapillus

By Alan D. Manson, CC BY 4.0

Etymology: Smooth Feather

First Described By: Bonaparte, 1850 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Inopinaves, Telluraves, Australaves, Eufalconimorphae, Psittacopasserae, Passeriformes, Eupasseres, Passeri, Euoscines, Passerides, Core Passerides, Sylviida, Sylviodiea, Sylviidae 

Status: Extant, Vulnerable 

Time and Place: Within the last 10,000 years, in the Holocene of the Quaternary 

The Bush Blackcap is known from South Africa and Swaziland 

Physical Description: Bush Blackcaps are small passerines with distinctive orange-pink bills, somewhat thick and slightly curved. They have black caps to their heads – hence the name – and white chins. These white feathers extend to the belly region, while the back of the bird is brown. The tail is somewhat long and also brown. They have small pink legs and feet. The sexes are all similar, and the juveniles are in general just a bit more dull than the parents. 

Diet: Bush Blackcaps feed mainly on berries, other fruit, and small invertebrates. 

By Alan Manson, CC BY 4.0

Behavior: These songbirds will forage alone, in mated pairs, and in small groups, usually moving quietly and carefully through the middle layer of the forest or in the scrub to grab food from off of foliage. They will also congregate around fishponds in the winter to gather water and food near the water’s edge. During the breeding season in the late spring and early summer, the males will make very beautiful complex songs with a variety of notes and tones. Both parents will build the nest out of twigs and grass, placed safely in a tree fork. They tend to lay between two and three eggs per season. They do not migrate much, but do move up and down the mountain level in response to the breeding seasons and food availability.  

By Alan Manson, CC BY-SA 2.0

Ecosystem: Bush Blackcaps live in temperate and mountain evergreen forests on slopes and near ravines and on the forest edge. They will occasionally go out into the bush, but not as much as their name would suggest! Their nests are parasitized by cuckoos. 

Other: These are vulnerable birds, due to extreme habitat loss – the forests are slowly decreasing in spread, and it is predicted that with the arrival of more extensive climate change, they will decrease in spread more. It seems as though the range of the Bush Blackcaps has already decreased by 30% by 2014, with more destruction of the habitat having occurred in recent years as well. Currently, there seem to only be a few thousand individuals of this species left. 

~ By Meig Dickson 

Sources under the Cut 

Microchera albocoronata

By Joseph C. Boone, CC BY-SA 3.0

Etymology: Small Widow

First Described By: Gould, 1858 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Strisores, Daedalornithes, Apodiformes, Trochilidae, Trochilinae 

Status: Extant, Least Concern 

Time and Place: Since 10,000 years ago, in the Holocene of the Quaternary 

Snowcaps are known primarily from Central America 

Physical Description: Snowcaps are very small birds – being hummingbirds! They range between 6 and 6.5 centimeters in length, making them only a tad bigger than the smallest dinosaurs of all, the Bee Hummingbirds! All sexes are iridescent – brilliantly shiny and colorful. The males are red, with black wings and a black face; while the females are green and blue with red tails, black wings, and white bellies. They have long, narrow, pointed beaks, that are black in color. They, like other hummingbirds, have very tiny feet, that are rarely used. Their wings are short and triangular, built for hovering, as in all other Hummingbirds. They are named for the white patches on the foreheads of the males! 

Diet: Like other hummingbirds, they primarily eat nectar – specifically the nectar of small flowers on trees and shrubs. They will supplement their diet with insects as well. 

By Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren, CC BY 2.0

Behavior: Snowcaps spend most of their time hovering around flowers, staying aloft in the air in order to reach into the flower with their beaks and pull out nectar. Males will often defend their food very territorial, but it will run away from larger hummingbirds. They make very soft, warbling melodies, as well as more high-pitched zipping and buzzy noises when fighting each other. They do not tend to migrate, but will go up and down from highlands to lowlands depending on the breeding or nonbreeding season. They tend to breed during the early wet season or late dry season, with the males singing soft warbles on the forest edge to attract mates. They make tiny cups of tree-fern scales, using moss and lichen to bind up the cup – which is hung a few meters up into the tree. Two eggs are laid in the clutch, and the female does most of the incubation for about two weeks. She then feeds the young regurgitated nectar. 

Ecosystem: Snowcap hummingbirds live on forest edges and in tropical rainforest, frequenting the canopy and subcanopy (when male) and the understory when female. They rarely ascend into higher elevations. 

Other: These hummingbirds are not threatened with extinction, remaining very common throughout its range even though deforestation affects some habitats. 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources Under the Cut 

Jobling, J. A. 2010. The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. Christopher Helm Publishing, A&C Black Publishers Ltd, London. 

Kistler, Ethan; Schulenberg, Thomas S (2013). “Snowcap (Microchera albocoronata)”. Neotropical Birds Online. Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 

Stiles, F.G. & Kirwan, G.M. (2019). Snowcap (Microchera albocoronata). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. 

Neophron percnopterus

By Koshy Koshy, CC BY 2.0

Etymology: A Childish Trickster 

First Described By: Savigny, 1809 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Inopinaves, Telluraves, Afroaves, Accipitrimorphae, Accipitriformes, Accipitridae, Gypaetinae 

Status: Extant, Endangered 

Time and Place: Since 12,000 years ago, in the Holocene of the Quaternary 

Egyptian Vultures are known from locations across India, Western Asia, Africa, and Southern Europe 

Physical Description: The Egyptian Vulture is a small vulture, only about 54 to 70 centimeters long with a wingspan of a little more than twice that size. It is also very distinctive in color, and extremely fluffy (which makes sense, given it is probably closely related to the Bearded Vulture). It has a very long and narrow head, which is bare and yellow over the eyes and beak; the tip of the beak is sharply hooked and black. The back of the head and neck is very fluffy and white. The rest of the body is also very puffed, mostly white but with black edges and tips to the wing feathers and tail feathers. It has white fluffy legs, with only some of the feet bear; the feet are pale in color. The females are usually much heavier than the males. The juveniles are significantly darker than the adults in color. 

By Carlos Delgado, CC BY-SA 3.0

Diet: Egyptian Vultures primarily feed on large dead animals such as carrion of birds, livestock, wild mammals, and even dogs. Usually it will prefer scraps from large carcasses. Sometimes it will also eat eggs! 

By Вых Пыхманн, CC By-SA 3.0

Behavior: These vultures are pragmatic opportunists, eating a wide variety of carrion that are often rejected by other vulture. It even competes often with crows and other corvids – more pragmatic, intelligent birds! These vultures spend a lot of the day soaring overhead, searching for food from up to one kilometer away; they also will perch and search for food on trees and cliffs. They tend to congregate in large numbers where there is good sources of food – even though this bird is rare. They will pull off chunks of carcass and often will throw stones at eggs to open them up – a documented use of tools! They also will use twigs to roll up and gather strands of wool for nest-lining. They aren’t very loud birds, making small whistles, grunts, groans, and hisses when needed. Somewhat social birds, they are usually found in pairs or in large groups around carcasses, though often they spend time alone. 

By Jiel, CC BY-SA 4.0

Egyptian Vultures breed in the spring, with pairs courting by soaring high together and then swooping and spiraling down. They are monogamous for at least one breeding season, and may stay with the same mate for many years or even their whole lives. They tend to come back to the same nest sites year after year. They make nests out of twigs and wool, placed on cliff ledges and on large tree forks. Neighboring birds may form polyamorous groups with a mated pair, allowing for the two pairs of adults to aid each other in caring for the young. Usually the birds prepare for copulation by giving each other food, and preening each other to get in the “mood”. They lay around two eggs usually, which are incubated for around one and a half months. All adults will incubate the chicks, which are very brown and puffy. They stay in the nest for up to three months, cared for by the parents for most of that time. They reach sexual maturity between 4 and 6 years of age, and can live for nearly four decades, though most tend to die by the fifth year of life in the wild. 

By PJeganathan, CC BY-SA 4.0

The vultures tend to soar on thermal wind, using the heat to raise themselves higher in the air; on the land they’re much less graceful, waddling around awkwardly. They are very calculating animals, waiting for predators to leave a carcass before approaching. They’ll even feed on poop to get carotenoids – pigments – from large herbivorous mammals. They tend to migrate only in the northern part of their range – in Africa and India, they stay mainly in the same location year-round. They glide extensively while flying, wasting as little energy while migrating as possible. 

By Dr. Raju Kasambe, CC BY-SA 4.0

Ecosystem: Egyptian Vultures prefer open areas, preferably ones with dry and arid habitat. They especially prefer locations near cold and wet climates, such as scrub habitats. They also frequent deserts, steppes, pastures, and some fields, though they try to stay near rocky places when nesting. They also can be found in mountainous regions at lower or mid-level altitudes. They are hunted upon by golden eagles, eagle owls, and red foxes as young; they also are very vulnerable to other mammalian predators (like wolves) as adults and to human interference. In fact, human activity takes a toll on population size. 

By Tomasz Baranowski, CC BY 2.0

Other: Egyptian Vultures have gone through extensive population decline, though in some locations the population is more stable now and recovering. They are greatly affected by human activity, including things such as power lines and hunting, intentional poisoning, and superstition-based activity. Since vultures are considered harbingers of doom, people tend to be afraid of them – and they aren’t always the prettiest birds, so people don’t feel emotional attachment to them enough to avoid killing them. Declines in herding and livestock maintenance among humans also has lead to some population decline. Combinations of these factors in many countries make conservation efforts difficult to implement. Some attempts to preserve this vulture have included “vulture restaurants”, where carcasses are made available to vultures nearby. 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources Under the Cut 

Gavia

Common Loon by Amy Widenhofer, CC BY-SA 2.0

Etymology: Unidentified Sea Bird 

First Described By: Coues, 1903 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Aequorlitornithes, Ardeae, Aequornithes, Gaviiformes, Gaviidae

Referred Species: G. egeriana, G. schultzi, G. brodkorbi, G. moldavica, G. paradoxa, G. concinna, G. fortis, G. palaeodytes, G. howardae, G. concinna, G. stellata (Red-Throated Loon), G. arctica (Black-Throated Loon), G. pacifica (Pacific Loon), G. immer (Common Loon), G. adamsii (Yellow-Billed Loon) 

Status: Extinct – Extant, Near Threatened – Least Concern 

Time and Place: Since 18 million years ago, from the Burdigalian of the Miocene of the Neogene until the Holocene of the Quaternary 

Loons have lived throughout the Northern Hemisphere, originating on the Eastern Coast of North America and spreading from there through the Neogene until today 

Physical Description: Loons are squat birds, with long bodies and tiny little legs, and very short tails. They also have long necks, with round heads and long pointed beaks. They also have small, beady red eyes. The different species of loon differ greatly on color, though there are some common themes. Their backs are darker, usually black, with white streaks; they often have white bellies that may have some black speckles. They have distinctive black and white striping on the neck – though the extent of the striping varies from species to species, with some Loons having stripes all along the neck, and others only in isolated patches, surrounded by black feathers. The heads are usually a dark color, black or grey, with some lightness more towards the top of the head. They have black feet and flippers attached to their weird lopsided legs. In a lot of ways, Loons are modern, toothless Hesperornithines in general appearance and lopsidedness. They range from 53 to 91 centimeters in length – with many sizes in between. 

Red-Throated Loon by the Bureau of Land Management, in the Public Domain

Diet: Loons primarily feed on fish, though they will occasionally supplement their diet with other small aquatic animals. 

Black-Throated Loon by Bengt Nyman, CC BY 2.0

Behavior: Loons are diving birds, spending most of their time going back and forth in the water searching for food. They will engage in pursuit dives, diving many meters under the water for sources of food, and chasing their fish very vigorously in order to catch them. In some of the better known species, food will be gathered up in ponds and inshore waters and brought back to the young; in the ocean, they’ll join mixed-species flocks in order to gather more fish from the water. Spawns of new fish and crustaceans will often attract groups of Loons to new feeding locations. They tend to swallow gastroliths to aid in crushing hard parts of food in the stomach of the Loons, though they may also aid in causing reguritation when needed Loons are excessively loud during the breeding season and much quieter when hunting; the males will make loud “arroarroarro” and other cackling calls when fighting over territory, which the females often match. The Common Loon especially makes a very distinctive breeding sound, going “ooo-aaaa-eeeeeeeee” and other rising vowel sounds. While nesting, they’ll also make rising, higher-pitched “week-week-week” calls, depending on the species. But, when not breeding, they are fairly silent birds all things considered. 

Pacific Loon by Tim Bowman, in the Public Domain

Loons breed mainly in the warmer summertime months, which of course varies extensively based on habitat and location – some loons begin breeding as late as June, while others start as soon as March. It really depends on how quickly the spring begins to thaw to allow for appropriate nesting time. They make nests out of heaps of plant matter placed near the water, laying between one two three eggs into the nest (though usually it’s just two, no more no less). The incubation period lasts for about a month, and the chicks are usually balls of fluffy brownish-grey down. They take around another two months to fledge, depending somewhat on their parents for food during this time. They usually take about two years to reach sexual maturity, and can live for at least a couple of decades (if not longer). Both parents usually take care of the young and will work together to move the nest if needed due to rising water levels. 

Common Loon by Mike’s Birds, CC BY-SA 2.0

Loons are fairly strong fliers, though they do have trouble taking off and many have to run along the water surface while flapping wings in order to take flight – only the Red-Throated Loon can take off from land. IN the air, they can fly for long periods of time in order to migrate. Loons have extensive migration ranges, going from warmer coastal waters in the summer to their breeding sites in more northern locations in the winter. They are also extremely strong swimmers. In general, they really aren’t good at walking – the downside of their funkily-placed little legs! 

Red-Throated Loon by Don Faulkner, CC BY-SA 2.0

Ecosystem: Loons mainly live in aquatic habitats – in freshwater pools, ponds, and lakes in cold locations such as tundra and taiga habitat; they will also be found on the Arctic and northern Atlantic/Pacific coasts and in rivers and estuaries along those coasts. They especially prefer to stay along the coasts and in sheltered bays during the wintertime, when it is more dangerous to be out on the open waters. They try to stay to deeper freshwater lakes and ponds when in freshwater habitats, rather than more shallow aquatic locations. 

Pacific Loon by the NBII, in the Public Domain

Other: Loons are primarily doing fine, conservation wise; only one species is considered Near Threatened, the Yellow-Billed Loon. This species is suffering due to unsustainable fish harvesting, leading to dramatic population declines in recent years. They are also vulnerable to oil-spills and heavy-metal poisoning. These risks also apply to the other Loon species, they just aren’t as heavily hit by them. 

Yellow-Billed Loon by Ryan Askren, in the Public Domain

Species Differences: The oldest definite members of Gavia are known from the early-middle Miocene of the Eastern United States. However, loons in general evolved possibly in the Late Cretaceous, at least by the start of the Cenozoic. There are potential members of Gavia as early as the Eocene. This indicates that Loons evolved fairly rapidly in direct response to vacant niches after the mass extinctions of the time. Other fossil species of Loon include G. egeriana from the Early Miocene of the United States and potentially Czechoslovakia; G. schultzi from the Middle Miocene of Austria; G. brodkorbi from the Late Miocene of the United States; G. moldavica from the Late Miocene of Moldova, G. paradoxa from the Late Miocene of the Ukraine, G. concinna from the Late Miocene and Early Pliocene of the United States, G. fortis from the Early Pliocene of the United States, G. palaeodytes from the Early Pliocene of the United States, G. howardae from the Early Pliocene of the United States, and G. concinna from the late Pliocene of San Diego. This showcases how Loons were much more widely distributed for much of their history, found in more southerly locations during the Neogene and up until the Ice Age. 

Red-Throated Loon by Ómar Runólfsson, CC BY 2.0

Today, there are five living Loons, with distinctly different appearances and slightly different ranges. Red-Throated Loons spend their summers in the Arctic Ocean area – so along the northern parts of Russia, Canada, and around Greenland, Alaska, and Scandinavia. They will spend their winters along the coasts of both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. They are some of the smallest loons, and also the most lightly colored – they have brown plumage and red patches on the front of their necks, and their heads and necks are primarily grey. 

Black-Throated Loon by Robert Bergman, in the Public Domain

Black-Throated Loons have similar ranges to the Red-Throated Loons, but only in Eurasia – they are rarely found in North America, only some parts of Alaska. They are also somewhat smaller, but they are black in color over most of their body with distinctive white patches. The tops of their necks and heads are grey, while they have black patches on their throats and black and white striping across their necks. 

Pacific Loon by Alan Vernon, CC BY 2.0

The Pacific Loon is found more in North America than in Eurasia, occasionally reaching Northeastern Russia and wintering in Japan and Korea. They also winter along the pacific coast of North America. They are the smallest of all Loons, and look very similar to Black-Throated Loons except for their size and having nrounded heads and thinner bills. 

Common Loon by John Picken, CC BY 2.0

Common Loons live throughout the Northernmost part of North America, even extending somewhat into the Continental US; they also will winter along the coasts of North America. They can be found in Greenland and Western Europe, as well as Scandinavia, during the winter; they also congregate in Iceland during the winter. They are larger loons, and don’t have as much striping on their necks; their backs are also in a funky black and white checkerboard pattern. 

Yellow-Billed Loon by Norbert Potensky, CC BY-SA 3.0

Finally, the Yellow-Billed Loon – unlike all other loons – have yellow bilsl, instead of grey ones. They have a similar range to the Red-Throated Loon, though somewhat more limited. They also grow extensively large, and have somewhat larger stripe patches on their necks than Common Loons – though not as much as other Loon species. 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources Under the Cut 

Heterorhea dabbenei

By José Carlos Cortés

Etymology: Different Rhea 

First Described By: Rovereto, 1914 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Palaeognathae, Notopalaeognathae, Rheiformes, Rheidae 

Status: Extinct 

Time and Place: About 4 million years ago, in the Zanclean of the Pliocene 

Heterorhea is known from the Monte Hermoso Formation of Buenos Aires, Argentina 

Physical Description: Heterorhea is only known from some isolated foot bones which were very similar to those of the modern Rhea, but in general shorter and wider. This indicates that, if Heterorhea was indeed a Rhea (see below), it would have been similar to the living Rhea but a little thicker in general proportion. This is, of course, conjecture; but it’s the best one we’ve got, as the original fossil of this animal is lost. Like living Rheas, it probably would have been a shaggy, flightless dinosaur; with a long neck, thick legs, and small pointed beak. 

Diet: Heterorhea was probably a vegetation, feeding on broad-leafed plants, fruits, seeds, and roots. 

Behavior: Heterorhea probably behaved at least somewhat similar to living Rheas, fairly silent birds forming large flocks fleeing in zig-zag motions. They would probably make calls during the mating season, making somewhat loud calls in mating displays and then making soft sounds to chicks when laid. They were also probably polygamous. Other than that, though, we can’t really make a lot of statements about Heterorhea behavior. 

Ecosystem: Heterorhea lived in a wet, lush grassland environment, which would occasionally flood with extensive amounts of water and mud based on the turn of the seasons. This was before the onset of the Ice Age, so it was during a time of somewhat warmer climate than what the later Rheas would face. Here, Heterorhea lived alongside many other animals – a variety of frogs, Ungulates, rodents and rabbits, Toxodonts, Macraucheniids, armadillo relatives, anteaters, Glyptodonts, Thylacosmilus, Racoons, opossums, and so many other mammals. As for contemporary dinosaurs, there were a variety of ducks, the other rhea Hinasuri, Tinamus like Nothura and Eudromia, and – of course – birds of prey like seriemas, condors, and the terror bird Mesembriornis. The latter would, of course, have been a major source of danger for Heterorhea. 

Other: Heterorhea is, sadly, lost; this means we can’t actually compare the fossil of this dinosaur with other birds known from the region. Thus, though it was originally called a rhea, we can’t be certain that is what it is – since that assignment came before the age of phylogenetics and more objective classification. 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources Under the Cut 

Barosaurus lentus

By Ripley Cook

Etymology: Heavy Reptile 

First Described By: Marsh, 1890 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Sauropodomorpha, Bagualosauria, Plateosauria, Massopoda, Sauropodiformes, Anchisauria, Sauropoda, Gravisauria, Eusauropoda, Neosauropoda, Diplodocoidea, Diplodocimorpha, Flagellicaudata, Diplodocidae, Diplodocinae 

Status: Extinct 

Time and Place: Between 150 and 149 million years ago, in the Tithonian of the Late Jurassic 

Barosaurus is known from the Brush Basin Member of the Morrison Formation in South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. Potential specimens of Barosaurus are known from other locations of the Morrison Formation; the entire range of this habitat at the time of Barosaurus is shown below in green (with the range of Barosaurus inside of it, in blue).  

Physical Description: Barosaurus in a lot of ways is a fairly typical Diplodocid sauropod – long, large, and with a distinctive whip-tail. But, when you dig under the surface, Barosaurus has nothing truly “typical” about it. The neck of Barosaurus is next-level in its length – and the tail is ridiculous to match. In fact, the estimates of the length of Barosaurus get huge – it was probably more than twenty-six meters long, and some of the most upper estimates of Barosaurus have it at fifty meters long! This would make it one of, if not the, largest known dinosaurs – and certainly the longest! Though it does have a long tail, it differs in appearance from its cousin Diplodocus primarily by having a proportionally longer neck and shorter tail. It was also more slender than Apatosaurus, though it was longer than that contemporary. How did Barosaurus get such a long neck? It literally converted one of the back vertebrae into a neck vertebra! This is so fascinating that I can’t get over it – its close relatives, like Diplodocus, did not employ this to get a longer neck, indicating Barosaurus was using its long neck for things that its cousins were not. Barosaurus was also weird in not having as high of spines on its vertebrae as its cousin Diplodocus and other members of the group. In addition to all of that – it had shorter vertebrae in the tail, which made it shorter than in other members of this group! Interestingly, the bones on the underside of the tail were forked and had forward spikes, which would have given it similar strength to that of Diplodocus; it was probably still a whiptail like other members of this group, though not as much of one as its relatives. 

By Slate Weasel, in the Public Domain

Of course, the distinctiveness of Barosaurus is primarily limited to the length of the animal and its spine. In terms of limbs, it had fairly identical limbs to its cousin Diplodocus, though it did have fairly long forelimbs compared to its cousin (by… an almost imperceptible amount, however). Though the feet of Barosaurus aren’t known, it is reasonable to suppose that it would have had feet similar to Diplodocus – with only one claw on the front feet and three small claws on the hind feet. The skull of Barosaurus is not known, but it probably would have been long and low, with peg-like teeth in the front of the jaws for grazing on plants. Its neck was not very flexible in the vertical sense, but it was much more flexible in sweeping from side to side. It is possible that there were spikes of some sort at the end of the tail, which would have packed quite a punch when the tail was used to whip other animals. And, finally, it would have been entirely – if not almost entirely – scaly all over its body. It is also possible that Barosaurus may have featured some brilliant colors, especially in the tail, for communication with other members of the species. 

Diet: Barosaurus would have primarily fed on high-level vegetation, able to reach much of it at its natural neck height and then – on top of that – being able to rear up to 50 meters high via going on its hind legs. However, a lack of vertical reach in terms of neck flexibility means that it probably would have swept over a wide area for food, rather than going up and down in the tree level like other Diplodocids. This would have allowed Barosaurus to move very little – if at all – while eating, instead of moving over large distances in search of vegetation. 

By Scott Reid

Behavior: Barosaurus was not especially common in its environment, so the question of its social nature is actually somewhat important. Fossil evidence indicates at least some sociality in other Diplodocids – herding, or at least small herds, of other sauropods on the Morrison are clear from fossil evidence and trackways. The question remains – did Barosaurus do what its cousins did? The question is, of course, up in the air without more fossil evidence. It is possible that, in an environment with hundreds and hundreds of large sauropods to feed, Barosaurus may have been more solitary to aid in getting enough food without competing too much with one another. Alternatively, it may have also lived in social groups, allowing for the safety of weaker members of the herd and more cohesiveness in finding food. 

Barosaurus, like other Diplodocids, would have been able to rear up on its hind legs to get food. This action would have also made Barosaurus even taller than usual, which would have been fairly imposing to predators nearby. It had a whip-tail, which would have allowed Barosaurus to make very loud sonic cracks in the air; if that tail was covered with spikes, as in other members of the group, it would have also lacerated the skin of other dinosaurs. Still, even without spikes, it would have packed quite a punch for any predators that might have tried to attack it. The sounds of the tail would have been a warning; it is possible that such sounds would have been used in communication with one another, and potentially even display in competition for mates and food and similar things. The impossibly long neck probably was also a sort of sexual display structure, since the longer neck indicated being able to reach more food without walking around. It is uncertain whether or not it would have taken care of its young; while there is no evidence either way – which usually would lead to concluding it did, given the fact most living archosaurs do and there’s extensive evidence of such in extinct dinosaurs – other sauropods (aka the titanosaurs) probably didn’t. So, for now, the jury on that is out. 

By Fred Wierum, CC BY-SA 4.0

Ecosystem: Barosaurus lived in the Morrison Formation – an extensive, expansive semi-arid, seasonal floodplain that covered most of Western North America during the Jurassic and was filled with iconic dinosaurs and other animals that we usually think of when we think of the “Jurassic.” Though the Morrison was as arid and open as a modern savanna, the lack of extensive flowering plants at this time rendered the habitat more like a ridiculously huge scrubland. There were a variety of trees – conifers, ginkgos, cycads, and tree ferns – dispersed among the bushes and horsetails and other plants. They congregated around rivers, which were havens of life amongst the arid territory. At the time of the Brushy Basin Environment – the last part of the formation, where Barosaurus could be found – this environment was much muddier and wetter, potentially indicating a change in ecology that would lead to the end of the Morrison Formation, and an extinction of the animals there. There were also expansive volcanic explosions that lead to much of the preservation we see there. A large salt lake present would have been a major feature of the environment, and it was connected to extensive wetlands that formed a break in the wider scrubland around the habitat. 

By Danny Cicchetti, CC BY-SA 3.0

Barosaurus may be known from the entire Brushy Basin Environment of the Morrison; however, confirmed fossils of this dinosaur are only known from a few sites. So, in my map above, I give two colors – the wider green color to show the whole ecosystem, aka the wider area that Barosaurus may have ventured in to; and the smaller blue color to show the confirmed range of this dinosaur. In that confirmed range, Barosaurus lived alongside a lot of other animals – in fact, there’s a reason the Morrison is so iconic – its characteristic and distinctive fossils, both of dinosaurs and not of dinosaurs. Barosaurus has been found in, literally, the same sites as other animals – it is known to have lived alongside the predator Allosaurus; in another site, turtles and Pseudosuchians and the Choristodere Cteniogenys, as well as Allosaurus and the more bulky sauropod Camarasaurus; in yet another, Barosaurus lived alongside many turtles, the Pseudosuchians Hoplosuchus and Goniopholis, the tuatara-like Opisthias, and a wide variety of dinosaurs – other sauropods like Diplodocus Apatosaurus and Camarasaurus, predators like Allosaurus Torvosaurus and Ceratosaurus, and Ornithiscians like Stegosaurus Dryosaurus and Uteodon. So, Barosaurus was a part of a very wide and diverse community, with a great diversity in terms of herbivores and predators that would have attacked Barosaurus. That being said, there were many other animals that may have lived alongside Barosaurus, based on just… probability, even though they weren’t found directly with it. There were other stegosaurs like Alcovasaurus and Hesperosaurus; more small running herbivores like Nanosaurus; larger bulky bipedal herbivores like Camptosaurus; more sauropods, including Apatosaurus and Supersaurus; and smaller predators that would have probably been more of a threat to Barosaurus young than adults – Marshosaurus, Coelurus, Ornitholestes, and Stokesosaurus. Sadly, the organization of the Morrison is something of a mess – so, while many other dinosaurs and animals lived alongside Barosaurus, we can’t exactly be sure which ones. There were probably a variety of Multituberculate, Tinodontid, Eutriconodont, and Dryolestoid mammals, as well as others; some pterosaurs were probably there like Harpactognathus, and, of course, there were amphibians as well. This makes the Morrison one of the better examples of an environment to highlight as a representative of a particular time in Earth’s history – since it showcases so many different living things! 

By José Carlos Cortés

Other: Barosaurus was a close relative of Diplodocus, though it is difficult to determine how close, as the evolutionary relationships between the Diplodocids are still being worked out via phylogenetic studies. It is possible that an offshoot of Diplodocus (which were around before Barosaurus evolved) split to take advantage of not moving much to eat, and instead sweeping its neck around to gather food. For a while, another sauropod in Africa was considered to be a species of Barosaurus; today, however, it seems to be very clearly in its own genus, Tornieria, and actually far removed from both Diplodocus and Barosaurus (while still being in this closely related family group). So, for now, Barosaurus is only known from North America. These dinosaurs were distinctive long and slender sauropods, as opposed to their long and bulky cousins, the Apatosaurines, that they lived alongside. 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources Under the Cut 

Irena

Asian Fairy-Bluebird by Greg Hume, CC BY-SA 4.0

Etymology: For the Goddess of Peace and Plenty 

First Described By: Jerdon, 1863

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Inopinaves, Telluraves, Australaves, Eufalconimorphae, Psittacopasserae, Passeriformes, Eupasseres, Passeri, Euoscines, Passerides, Core Passerides Passerida, Irenidae 

Referred Species: I. puella (Asian Fairy-Bluebird), I. cyanogaster (Philippine Fairy-Bluebird) 

Status: Extant, Near Threatened – Least Concern 

Time and Place: Since 10,000 years ago, in the Holocene of the Quaternary 

Fairy-Bluebirds are known from Southeast Asia, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines

Physical Description: Fairy-Bluebirds are medium sized passerines, ranging between 21 and 27 centimeters in length. They are distinctive birds – with short tails, round bodies, and large sharp beaks, their coloration and patterning makes them iconic and beautiful birds. The males have dark blue bodies with light blue tail feathers, and stripes of black and lighter blue on the wings; they have light blue patches on the tops of their heads, and black heads in general, with red eyes. The Philippine species has noticeable stripes on the wings, while the Asian species is more blocky in color. Female Philippine birds resemble the males, except duller; the females of the Asian species, however, are turquoise all over, with black patches on the tails. The two species mainly differ from each other in how the blue and black on the wings and bodies pattern with each other. The juveniles tend to be like the females, except brown instead of black. 

Philippine Fairy-Bluebird by Stijn De Win

Diet: Fairy-Bluebirds feed mainly on fruit, including small berries and figs, as well as nectar and some termites. 

Behavior: Fairy-Bluebirds will wander around branches, searching for fruit while perched or in quick flights in the middle of the canopy. They’ll generally join mixed-species flocks to forage, all gathering food together in large groups – especially if a lot of food is present. They make very whistling and fluid calls to each other when finding each other, often with a variety of different trilling and chirping syllables. The males make a variety of songs as well, including ones with oddly scale-like syllables as well as more titillating vocals. Mated pairs will also make harsh, croaking sounds to one another. The Philippine Fairy-Bluebird also will imitate contact calls of other species. These birds do not migrate much, though they may move in response to water availability. 

Asian Fairy-BLuebird by Gran Hume, CC BY-SA 4.0

In terms of nesting, the birds breed mainly in the first half of the Gregorian Year, and the male has a very elaborate courtship display – including vocalizations that are responded to by the female doing most of the nest building. They build a small, shallow cup of twigs, placed a few meters up in a tree. Two or three eggs are laid and incubated by the mother for two weeks. Both parents will help care for the brood another two weeks. The Philippine Fairy-Bluebird begins nest building a little later, more of the middle of the year. 

Ecosystem: Fairy-Bluebirds mainly live in tropical to subtropical rainforest and evergreen forest, as well as montane forests. They tend to avoid more deciduous forests, though they can be found in such locations in response to flowering events. They may also be found in low-growth forests. They tend to be victims of brood parasitism by Cuckoos. 

Asian Fairy-Bluebird by Ano001, CC BY-SA 4.0

Other: Fairy-Bluebirds are not considered threatened with extinction at this time. The Philippine Species, though common in its range, has declined in population due to extensive habitat loss. As such, it is classified as near-threatened. The Asian Species is common in most of its range, though some populations are more uncommon and, due to habitat loss, populations are on the decline. It is also caught for the cagebird trade, greatly affecting populations. 

Species Differences: The Asian Fairy-Bluebird is found across Southeastern Asia, on the coasts of India, and in some parts of Indonesia. The Philippine Fairy-Bluebird, meanwhile, is only known in the Philippines, as its name would suggest. The Philippine species is also somewhat larger. In the Asian species, females are blue all over, while the Philippine females resemble the males except they are duller in color. 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources Under the Cut 

Apalopteron familiare

By Nesnad, CC BY 4.0

Etymology: Delicate Feather 

First Described By: Bonaparte, 1854

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Inopinaves, Telluraves, Australaves, Eufalconimorphae, Psittacopasserae, Passeriformes, Eupasseres, Passeri, Euoscines, Passerides, Core Passerides, Sylviida, Sylviodiea, Zosteropidae 

Status: Extant, Near-Threatened

Time and Place: Since 10,000 years ago, in the Holocene of the Quaternary 

The Meguro is known only from the Bonin Islands of Japan 

Physical Description: Meguro are small, but distinct, little birds – also known as Bonin White-Eyes for their distinctive white patches around the eye. In general they are yellowish and olive in color, and they range between 12 and 14 centimeters long. The heads are yellow with a golden crown, and a very distinctive black triangular patch over the eye. They have long, slightly curved, very pointy beaks. Their backs are olive, with olive and black wings; the tails are somewhat short and also olive and black. The underbellies are yellowish-green. They do not differ in plumage based on sex, and the juveniles are even very similar to the adults! 

Diet: Meguro primarily feed on soft fruits like papaya, bananas, mulberry, and sometimes flowers. They will supplement their diet with insects from time to time. 

By Lars Petersson

Behavior: These birds will forage alone or in small groups, sometimes in mated pairs. They search together among twigs and leaves, and also in trunks, searching for food sometimes in places where woodpeckers have been. They also will pick up food off of the ground – without other small passerines in the area, they are able to have a very diverse foraging ecology. They rarely sing, but when they do they make very complicated chew-i chit-chit-pee chot-chot-pee che-ee melodies, and sometimes more of a tittling melody, for up to three seconds. They will also make songs indicting it is time to fly from perches, and call to each other with mall “pee-pit” sounds. Meguro also make harsh “weet-weet” calls when mobbing potential threats. They will disperse through most of their range in the non-breeding season, though they don’t seem to move from island to island. 

Meguro breed from March through June, and usually produce one brood, though sometimes two broods are made. They have at least a year-long pair bond, and may gather in small parties during the breeding season. The parents build the nest together, making a deep cup out of leaves, grasses, twigs, and needles. They usually place it fairly high off of the ground, laying one to four eggs per nest. Both parents will feed the chicks. The incubation period lasts for about two weeks, and the babies stay with the parents for a month until they leave the nest. 

By Tomohide Shimura, CC By-SA 4.0

Ecosystem: These birds are found nearly everywhere on Haha-jima, including in non-forested areas, though of course they prefer forests of all kinds. They breed best in the most native forest patches, ad are rare in low shrubs and less forested areas. Interesting enough, despite the introduction of the warbling white-eye to the region, they are able to coexist and Meguro have adjusted their niche accordingly. They do, however, affect each others’ behaviors to some extent.  Meguro are important seed dispersers, helping to maintain healthy forests. They are hunted upon by introduced predators – especially cats. 

Other: Despite being hunted upon by cats – and having multiple populations decimated by them – they do appear to be stable in population, and as such are listed as Near Threatened rather than Vulnerable as they were recently. Strongholds in habitat have allowed for the maintenance of population of Meguro despite the increase of cats and rats on the island. They have coped with the introduction of other birds to the island, as far as research has shown. As such, while conservation efforts are ongoing to protect the islands and, thus, Meguro, they do not appear to be in immediate threat of extinction. 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources under the Cut 

Reinwardtipicus validus

By Lars Peterson

Etymology: Reinwardt’s Woodpecker 

First Described By: Temminick, 1825 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Inopinaves, Telluraves, Afroaves, Coraciimorphae, Cavitaves, Eucavitaves, Picocoraciae, Picodynastornithes, Piciformes, Picides, Picidae, Megapicini 

Status: Extant, Least Concern 

Time and Place: Since 10,000 years ago, in the Holocene of the Quaternary 

The Orange-Backed Woodpecker is known from Southeast Asia and Oceania 

Physical Description: These are fairly large woodpeckers, reaching up; to 30 centimeters in length. They look like other woodpeckers, of course – with somewhat round bodies, long thin necks, round heads, and long pointed beaks. Their feet are zygodactylous, with two toes forward and two toes backward. They also have small tails. In general, they have a variety of orange and brown hues in terms of plumage, though they differ based on sex. Males tend to have orange crests, necks, and stomachs; they also have bright orange stripes on the wings. Females are brown in those places, except on the wings, where the orange stripes are a bit more dull. The bulks of their wings are dark brown and their tails are also dark brown. They have white patches on the front of their backs. Their bills, which are pale colored, are slightly curved. 

Diet: Orange-backed Woodpeckers feed mainly on beetle larvae, termites, caterpillars, ants, and other insects. 

By Jean Gabriel Pretre, in the Public Domain

Behavior: These woodpeckers will live in families or mated pairs, foraging together in low and middle parts of trees. They will mainly attack rotting logs, dead stumps, and soft tree trunks – even fines from time to time. They peck and hammer loudly and forcefully to get the wood away to reveal the food, spending minutes to excavate the tasty food inside. They’ll then reach in with their long tongues (which wind around their heads) to grab the food. They don’t tend to move a lot to get food, but prefer to stick in specific locations. They will make loud, ringing calls to each other as they feed, sometimes with more rattling and irregular calls as well. They also make very excited “cha-cha-cha” calls when finding members of the family. Their bursts of digging in wood, however, are very short and loud. They breed from January through September, displaying to their mate with raises of the crest, directs of the bill, and wing flicks and spreads. They build nest holes through excavation a little high up in a dead tree, and they lay one to two eggs. The parents will feed the babies directly – they do not regurgitate. They also do not migrate. 

By Mike Prince, CC BY 2.0

Ecosystem: Orange-Backed Woodpeckers primarily live in evergreen rainforest and in coastal vegetation. They tend to stick to lowlands, rather than getting particularly high up into the mountains, though they can be found there from time to time. 

Other: Orange-Backed Woodpeckers are not threatened with extinction; though they are uncommon in most of their range, they are more common in Sumatra and Borneo. 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources under the Cut 

Herpetotheres cachinnans

By Ken Erickson, in the Public Domain

Etymology: Reptile Hunter 

First Described By: Vieillot, 1817 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Inopinaves, Telluraves, Australaves, Eufalconimorphae, Falconiformes, Falconidae, Falconinae 

Status: Extant, Least Concern 

Time and Place: Since 10,000 years ago, in the Holocene of the Quaternary 

The Laughing Falcon is known from Central and South America, in the Tropical regions 

Physical Description: The Laughing Falcon is an odd bird of prey, with distinctive markings and a fluffy head to make it stand out from others in the Falcon group! Ranging between 45 and 53  centimeters, the females usually weigh more than the males, and they have wingspans of up to 91 centimeters in length. They wings are short and round-tipped, and they have long distinctive tails. They have large heads, with fluffy tops to the heads. The tops are white, and the necks are white, but they have a dark brown patch around the eye. Their beaks are small and yellow, with black tips. They have dark-brown backs and wings, and white bellies; their tails are dark brown with white patches. They also have small feet for birds of prey. 

By Allan Sobral, CC BY-SA 4.0

Diet: Laughing Falcons feed primarily on snakes, including very large venomous ones – even rattlesnakes! They will also supplement their diet with lizards, snakes, fish, and birds. 

By Andreas Trepte, CC BY-SA 4.0

Behavior: This is a very slow falcon, mainly perching noticeably in trees where they will search the ground carefully for sources of food. It will also move around the branches with slow, cautious, tiny steps. They will then fly very quickly down to the prey. Other than that they fly slowly, and rarely soar through the air. They also don’t hunt other birds, so they’re quite peaceful by falcon standards. It will pounce on its prey from flight and bite it just behind the head, then carrying it back to the perch to eat in its claws like an osprey, and then tears it to pieces. This method often beheads the snakes prior to consumption, especially when given to young. 

By Félix Uribe, CC BY-SA 2.0

Laughing Falcons have extremely distinctive calls, hence their names – in fact, the cries are so weird that natives to the area will call the bird evil (though, of course, it is anything but). It makes long, far-carrying “wah wah” calls that start out bubbly and increase in pitch. Mated pairs will often create loud duets together at dawn and dusk near the nest. They will make soft laughs and “Ha has” as well, and the chicks also make little laughing sounds! 

by Bernard DuPont, CC BY-SA 2.0

These birds will breed in rock crevices, tree cavities, and the abandoned nests of other birds of prey; they don’t really gather nesting material, but just use the space and a little bit of vegetation to keep the eggs nestled. They usually lay one egg, which is incubated by the female for a month and a half, while the male brings food and keeps watch. Mating and breeding can occur any time of the year, with different populations starting at different times. The chicks are small and covered in brown fluff; they’re fed by both parents, though mostly by the mother, for two months. For up to a year after leaving the nest, the young will stay with the parents and not stray too far while getting used to life in the jungle. They have very large home ranges, but do not migrate beyond that range. 

Laughing Falcon by Francesco Veronesi, CC BY-SA 2.0

Ecosystem: Laughing Falcons are mainly known in tropical and subtropical rainforests, especially along forest edges and in more disturbed second-growth forest (rather than unbroken rainforest). They are also commonly found along rivers and in swamp forests. 

By Francesco Veronesi, CC BY-SA 2.0

Other: Laughing Falcons are not considered threatened with extinction at this time; they range from uncommon to common throughout their range (though there are some patches with more rarity) and – while some places have seen a decline, especially in response to deforestation – they seem to remain fairly common and stable in populations in most of their range. 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources under the Cut