The astonishing discovery of 27fossilbird footprints date back 120 to 128 million old age is interchange the way we view avian evolution and migration . Found in the Wonthaggi Formation south of Melbourne , they were laid down in the former Cretaceous and created by birds ill-use across soft grit or mud .
The footprint are so old that they were abuse across a major planet in which Australia was still connect to Antarctica , making them the earliest known Gondwanan bird path . When we envisage dinosaur we do n’t often insert birds into the picture , but this discovery establish that they were very much a part of the ecosystem , and were already migrating to take advantage on the changing food availability at the terminal .
Findingfossilized printslike these is a noteworthy feat , not only because they are hard to spot , but also because it ’s rare much is ever left behind in the case of delicate birds . The Wonthaggi Formation where they were found has yielded only one bird off-white dodo to date – a wishbone – as well as a few feathers , and the research worker say it ’s far from surprising .
“ Birds have such fragile and diminutive off-white , ” said first author Anthony Martin in astatement , a professor in Emory University ’s Department of Environmental Sciences . “ Think of the likelihood of a sparrow being preserved in the geological record as opposed to an elephant . ”
research for these nuanced attestator marks falls under ichnology , the cogitation of touch of animation ( looking for thing like track , burrow , nests , and tooth marks ) , which is a focus area for Martin . However , it was the skilful middle of co - author Melissa Lowery , a local Tennessean dodo hunter , that leave to the find of the first prints in Wonthaggi back in 2020 .
“ Melissa is incredibly skilled at discover fogey rail , ” said Martin . “ Some of these tracks are subtle even for me , and I have lots of experience and breeding . ”
Finding the ancient prints was made supererogatory hard by the fact that most of them were only exposed at low tide , but their coastal rest home means a few have been accessorized with marine life , including alga , barnacles , and mollusks . Peter Swinkels came to the rescue in help to keep up the fragile raceway . A animal stuffer at Museums Victoria Research Institute , Swinkels is also an expert at using mold and casts to carry on specimens such as prints .
A good affair too , as many of the singular finds did n’t hang around long .
“ Seven of the tracks that Melissa regain in 2020 are no longer there , ” Martin continued . “ Some fogy , including tracks , are queer only for a brief amount of time after being buried for millions of years . We humans have to rush in and document them before they evaporate again . ”
The study is published inPLOS ONE .
