...and it seems this wasn't posted on April 1...

[Anthea Fleming <>]

Loss of flight in Rail species is quite a common response to being literally isolated on islands.  Colonising rails arrive on islands because they managed to survive being blown off-shore.  If their descendants lose  flying ability, it's advantageous - providing no predators turn up.  Buff-banded Rails on Heron Island can't fly, though they do try when startled.  Their mainland relatives can and do fly quite well.  Incidentally , this phenomenon also happens to insects, and of course many other birds as well.

Anthea Fleming

On 12/05/2019 9:27 AM, Alan Gillanders wrote:

The headline is not supported by the text. The loss of flight on multiple occasions in different locations is as significant as it happening twice in one when one has a bit of time to play with.

"These unique fossils provide irrefutable evidence that a member of the rail family colonised the atoll, most likely from Madagascar, and became flightless independently on each occasion," said lead researcher Dr Julian Hume

Regards,

Alan

On 11/05/2019 2:11 pm, Clive Nealon wrote:

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/environment/bird-that-went-extinct-136000-years-ago-comes-back-from-the-dead-after-evolving-again/ar-AABbnvo?ocid=sf  

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