Story perspectives
Ancient Flightless Birds Could Soar Long Distances, Study Reveals
10/1/2025
46 6
1 of 1
Story summary
- A study finds ancient palaeognaths, ancestors of modern flightless birds, could fly long distances.
- Fossils, including a well-preserved sternum of Lithornis promiscuus, indicate these birds could travel extensively.
- Lithornis promiscuus' sternum resembled that of long-distance flyers like egrets, unlike tinamous.
- Flightlessness evolved independently in palaeognath lineages due to environmental factors, shaping today’s distribution.
