123:
371:, the lowermost bone of the leg, is short and shaped like those of parrots. The distal end of the tarsometatarsus has a projection of bone that supports the fourth toe, which is reversed and faces backwards. Unlike in parrots, however, this projection is not separated by a groove from the rest of the trochlea supporting the other toes. The third toe is strongly built, more so than the others. The humerus is long and slender, and the
105:
382:
The skulls of halcyornithids bear a prominent shelf of bone above the upper margin of the eye, the supraorbital process, comparable to that present in falcons and other birds of prey. One proposed function of the supraorbital process is mechanical protection of the eyeball from injury, for example,
338:
and the messelasturids. The skull of halcyornithids features a ridge of bone above the eye called the supraorbital process, similar to birds of prey. The relationships of the halcyornithids to other birds remain uncertain. Halcyornithids have been proposed as relatives to
411:. Of the specimens collected from that location, almost none do not bear minor morphological dissimilarities to others, indicating that there were likely many species living in the area, comprising an
383:
such as might be caused by struggling prey animals being killed with the beak. The morphology of the head is overall similar to that of messelasturids, but in halcyornithids, the
1206:
1120:"Psittacopedids and zygodactylids: The diverse and species-rich psittacopasserine birds from the early Eocene London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze (Essex, UK)"
1270:
1193:
934:
1265:
881:"The Halcyornithidae from the early Eocene London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze (Essex, UK): A species complex of Paleogene arboreal birds"
1275:
334:
feet, with two toes facing forwards and two facing back, a trait shared with other tree-dwelling families of Eocene birds like the
122:
343:
and as a lineage closer to parrots than to songbirds. Most recently, halcyornithids have been identified as the
1280:
1161:
1063:"Oldest Finch-Beaked Birds Reveal Parallel Ecological Radiations in the Earliest Evolution of Passerines"
1260:
1232:
460:
880:
423:, where specimens likewise exhibit diversity. Other halcyornithid-bearing sites in Europe include the
1074:
700:
Internal classification of the
Halcyornithidae and Messelasturidae after Mayr & Kitchener, 2022.
594:
1043:
904:
468:
412:
404:
277:
117:
1237:
1219:
1141:
1100:
1092:
1035:
996:
930:
896:
1224:
1211:
112:
Cast of the holotype of
Serudaptus, a halcyornithid, at the Natural History Museum of Vienna
1131:
1082:
1027:
986:
975:"New or previously unrecorded avian taxa from the Middle Eocene of Messel (Hessen, Germany)"
888:
177:
773:
408:
368:
356:
311:
1078:
717:
616:
571:
335:
303:
238:
1254:
908:
631:
526:
503:
456:
432:
428:
424:
327:
319:
307:
251:
62:
1047:
326:
of North
America and Europe, halcyornithids are not found in locales later than the
352:
344:
323:
1136:
1119:
951:
892:
1184:
974:
876:
786:
396:
37:
451:
is a skeleton tentatively believed to be a halcyornithid, which may also be of
1087:
1062:
761:
427:
of
Germany, which has produced the most recent evidence of halcyornithids, of
416:
299:
264:
225:
104:
82:
47:
1145:
1096:
1039:
1000:
991:
900:
351:
including parrots and songbirds. It is also possible that
Halcyornithidae is
739:
452:
212:
134:
87:
1104:
1178:
472:
384:
372:
154:
77:
72:
57:
52:
42:
1198:
1031:
801:
440:
436:
420:
400:
376:
367:
Halcyornithids are recognisable by details of the skull and limbs. The
331:
92:
67:
1015:
448:
315:
144:
31:
1155:
952:"Fossil pseudasturid birds (Aves, Pseudasturidae) from London Clay"
444:
348:
314:. Halcyornithids have been found in various Eocene formations in
464:
164:
1159:
395:
A high diversity of halcyornithid birds is found in the Eocene
340:
1061:
Ksepka, Daniel T.; Grande, Lance; Mayr, Gerald (2019-02-18).
929:. Fascinating life sciences (2nd ed.). Cham: Springer.
486:
956:
Bulletin of the
Natural History Museum, Geology Series
260:
247:
234:
221:
208:
1168:
1118:Mayr, Gerald; Kitchener, Andrew C. (2022-11-14).
920:
918:
330:. Halcyornithids were small, arboreal birds with
962:: 1β4 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
375:is shaped like that found in owls, and has a
8:
871:
869:
867:
865:
863:
861:
1156:
103:
20:
1135:
1086:
1016:"A new family of Eocene zygodactyl birds"
990:
415:. Halcyornithids are also known from the
459:, halcyornithids have been found in the
857:
879:; Kitchener, Andrew C. (2023-07-17).
7:
779:
754:
732:
710:
703:
609:
587:
564:
542:
519:
496:
489:
302:birds thought to be related to the
1271:Prehistoric birds of North America
14:
379:for the supracoracoideus nerve.
322:. Widespread and diverse in the
310:(songbirds), and to the extinct
121:
387:is proportionally much longer.
1:
1137:10.1080/08912963.2022.2141629
893:10.1016/j.geobios.2023.06.003
1266:Prehistoric birds of Europe
1014:Mayr, Gerald (1998-10-01).
195:Harrison & Walker, 1972
1297:
1276:Prehistoric bird families
1088:10.1016/j.cub.2018.12.040
799:
784:
777:
759:
752:
737:
730:
715:
708:
629:
614:
607:
592:
585:
569:
562:
547:
540:
524:
517:
501:
494:
283:
276:
205:
200:
118:Scientific classification
116:
111:
102:
23:
992:10.1002/mmng.20000030110
298:is an extinct family of
1020:Senckenbergiana Lethaea
973:Mayr, G. (2000-01-01).
256:Dyke & Cooper, 2000
16:Extinct family of birds
927:Paleogene fossil birds
1233:Paleobiology Database
950:Dyke, Gareth (2001).
925:Mayr, Gerald (2022).
461:Green River Formation
355:with respect to the
1079:2019CBio...29E.657K
506:(seriemas and kin)
463:of the US state of
1124:Historical Biology
1032:10.1007/BF03042769
469:Nanjemoy Formation
439:, and the Egem in
413:adaptive radiation
405:Walton-on-the-Naze
403:, from sites near
1248:
1247:
1220:Open Tree of Life
1162:Taxon identifiers
1130:(12): 2372β2395.
1073:(4): 657β663.e1.
936:978-3-030-87644-9
848:
847:
839:
838:
830:
829:
821:
820:
812:
811:
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270:
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196:
1288:
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1202:
1201:
1189:
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1187:
1157:
1150:
1149:
1139:
1115:
1109:
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1058:
1052:
1051:
1011:
1005:
1004:
994:
970:
964:
963:
947:
941:
940:
922:
913:
912:
873:
780:
755:
733:
711:
704:
610:
588:
565:
543:
520:
497:
490:
471:of the state of
288:
268:
262:
255:
249:
242:
236:
229:
223:
216:
210:
194:
189:
178:Eufalconimorphae
126:
125:
107:
97:
34:
27:Temporal range:
21:
1296:
1295:
1291:
1290:
1289:
1287:
1286:
1285:
1281:Halcyornithidae
1251:
1250:
1249:
1244:
1236:
1231:
1223:
1218:
1210:
1205:
1197:
1192:
1183:
1182:
1177:
1170:Halcyornithidae
1164:
1154:
1153:
1117:
1116:
1112:
1067:Current Biology
1060:
1059:
1055:
1013:
1012:
1008:
972:
971:
967:
949:
948:
944:
937:
924:
923:
916:
875:
874:
859:
854:
849:
840:
831:
822:
813:
774:Messelasturidae
698:
689:
680:
671:
662:
653:
644:
595:Psittacopedidae
550:Halcyornithidae
484:
478:
467:as well as the
409:Isle of Sheppey
393:
369:tarsometatarsus
365:
357:Messelasturidae
312:Messelasturidae
296:Halcyornithidae
286:
285:Pseudasturidae
193:
191:Halcyornithidae
187:
120:
98:
96:
95:
90:
85:
80:
75:
70:
65:
60:
55:
50:
45:
40:
29:
28:
25:
24:Halcyornithidae
17:
12:
11:
5:
1294:
1292:
1284:
1283:
1278:
1273:
1268:
1263:
1253:
1252:
1246:
1245:
1243:
1242:
1229:
1216:
1203:
1190:
1174:
1172:
1166:
1165:
1160:
1152:
1151:
1110:
1053:
1026:(1): 199β209.
1006:
985:(1): 207β219.
965:
942:
935:
914:
856:
855:
853:
850:
846:
845:
842:
841:
837:
836:
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832:
828:
827:
824:
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798:
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790:
783:
778:
776:
770:
769:
766:
765:
758:
753:
751:
748:
747:
744:
743:
736:
731:
729:
726:
725:
722:
721:
718:Pseudasturides
714:
709:
707:
702:
695:
694:
691:
690:
686:
685:
682:
681:
677:
676:
673:
672:
668:
667:
664:
663:
659:
658:
655:
654:
650:
649:
646:
645:
641:
640:
637:
636:
628:
625:
624:
621:
620:
617:Zygodactylidae
613:
608:
606:
603:
602:
599:
598:
591:
586:
584:
581:
580:
577:
576:
572:Psittaciformes
568:
563:
561:
558:
557:
554:
553:
546:
541:
539:
536:
535:
532:
531:
523:
518:
516:
513:
512:
509:
508:
500:
495:
493:
488:
483:
482:Classification
480:
392:
389:
364:
361:
336:Zygodactylidae
304:Psittaciformes
291:
290:
281:
280:
274:
273:
272:
271:
258:
245:
239:Pseudasturides
232:
219:
203:
202:
198:
197:
185:
181:
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168:
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162:
158:
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114:
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81:
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71:
66:
61:
56:
51:
46:
41:
36:
35:
26:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1293:
1282:
1279:
1277:
1274:
1272:
1269:
1267:
1264:
1262:
1259:
1258:
1256:
1239:
1234:
1230:
1226:
1221:
1217:
1213:
1208:
1204:
1200:
1195:
1191:
1186:
1180:
1176:
1175:
1173:
1171:
1167:
1163:
1158:
1147:
1143:
1138:
1133:
1129:
1125:
1121:
1114:
1111:
1106:
1102:
1098:
1094:
1089:
1084:
1080:
1076:
1072:
1068:
1064:
1057:
1054:
1049:
1045:
1041:
1037:
1033:
1029:
1025:
1021:
1017:
1010:
1007:
1002:
998:
993:
988:
984:
980:
979:Fossil Record
976:
969:
966:
961:
957:
953:
946:
943:
938:
932:
928:
921:
919:
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890:
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878:
872:
870:
868:
866:
864:
862:
858:
851:
844:
843:
835:
834:
826:
825:
817:
816:
808:
807:
804:
803:
797:
796:
793:
792:
789:
788:
782:
781:
775:
772:
771:
768:
767:
764:
763:
757:
756:
750:
749:
746:
745:
742:
741:
735:
734:
728:
727:
724:
723:
720:
719:
713:
712:
706:
705:
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693:
692:
684:
683:
675:
674:
666:
665:
657:
656:
648:
647:
639:
638:
635:
633:
632:Passeriformes
627:
626:
623:
622:
619:
618:
612:
611:
605:
604:
601:
600:
597:
596:
590:
589:
583:
582:
579:
578:
575:
573:
567:
566:
560:
559:
556:
555:
552:
551:
545:
544:
538:
537:
534:
533:
530:
528:
527:Falconiformes
522:
521:
515:
514:
511:
510:
507:
505:
504:Cariamiformes
499:
498:
492:
491:
487:
481:
479:
476:
474:
470:
466:
462:
458:
457:North America
454:
450:
446:
442:
438:
434:
433:Fur Formation
430:
429:Middle Eocene
426:
425:Geisel Valley
422:
418:
414:
410:
406:
402:
398:
390:
388:
386:
380:
378:
374:
370:
362:
360:
358:
354:
350:
346:
342:
337:
333:
329:
328:Middle Eocene
325:
321:
320:North America
317:
313:
309:
308:Passeriformes
305:
301:
297:
289:
282:
279:
275:
267:
266:
259:
254:
253:
252:Pulchrapollia
246:
241:
240:
233:
228:
227:
220:
215:
214:
207:
206:
204:
199:
192:
186:
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119:
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89:
84:
79:
74:
69:
64:
59:
54:
49:
44:
39:
33:
22:
19:
1261:Eocene birds
1169:
1127:
1123:
1113:
1070:
1066:
1056:
1023:
1019:
1009:
982:
978:
968:
959:
955:
945:
926:
884:
877:Mayr, Gerald
800:
785:
760:
738:
716:
699:
634:(songbirds)
630:
615:
593:
570:
549:
548:
525:
502:
485:
477:
455:age. In the
394:
391:Distribution
381:
366:
353:paraphyletic
345:sister group
324:Early Eocene
295:
294:
287:(Mayr, 2002)
284:
263:
250:
237:
224:
217:Martin, 2010
211:
190:
171:
18:
787:Messelastur
443:. From the
397:London Clay
363:Description
306:(parrots),
300:telluravian
1255:Categories
852:References
762:Serudaptus
574:(parrots)
529:(falcons)
417:Messel Pit
332:zygodactyl
269:Mayr, 2000
265:Serudaptus
243:Mayr, 1998
230:Owen, 1846
226:Halcyornis
1185:Q49001519
1146:0891-2963
1097:0960-9822
1040:0037-2110
1001:2193-0066
909:259969084
901:0016-6995
740:Cyrilavis
453:Paleocene
431:age, the
213:Cyrilavis
141:Kingdom:
135:Eukaryota
1179:Wikidata
1105:30744971
1048:62901085
473:Virginia
407:and the
385:mandible
373:coracoid
278:Synonyms
184:Family:
155:Chordata
151:Phylum:
145:Animalia
131:Domain:
1225:3596456
1199:4843795
1075:Bibcode
885:Geobios
802:Tynskya
441:Belgium
437:Denmark
421:Germany
401:England
377:foramen
347:of the
201:Genera
161:Class:
1212:102347
1144:
1103:
1095:
1046:
1038:
999:
933:
907:
899:
449:France
316:Europe
32:Eocene
30:Early
1238:39369
1207:IRMNG
1044:S2CID
905:S2CID
445:Menat
419:, in
349:clade
172:Clade
1194:GBIF
1142:ISSN
1101:PMID
1093:ISSN
1036:ISSN
997:ISSN
931:ISBN
897:ISSN
465:Utah
341:owls
318:and
165:Aves
38:Preκ
1132:doi
1083:doi
1028:doi
987:doi
889:doi
475:.
447:in
435:in
399:in
1257::
1235::
1222::
1209::
1196::
1181::
1140:.
1128:35
1126:.
1122:.
1099:.
1091:.
1081:.
1071:29
1069:.
1065:.
1042:.
1034:.
1024:78
1022:.
1018:.
995:.
981:.
977:.
960:57
958:.
954:.
917:^
903:.
895:.
887:.
883:.
860:^
359:.
174::
88:Pg
1148:.
1134::
1107:.
1085::
1077::
1050:.
1030::
1003:.
989::
983:3
939:.
911:.
891::
261:β
248:β
235:β
222:β
209:β
188:β
93:N
83:K
78:J
73:T
68:P
63:C
58:D
53:S
48:O
43:κ
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