CONTENTS ONE From T. Rex to Turkeys 4 EIGHT Parrots and Kin 72 TWO Flightless Birds 18 NINE Perching Birds 82 THREE Pigeons and Doves 26 TEN Present Day Research 90 FOUR Hummingbirds 36 Essential Facts 100 Glossary 102 Additional Resources 104 Source Notes 106 Index 110 About the Author 112 FIVE Tubenoses and Penguins 46 SIX Shorebirds and Waterfowl 54 SEVEN Birds of Prey 62
CHAPTER ONE From T. Rex to Turkeys It is approximately 160 million years ago MYA in the late Jurassic period 201.3-145 MYA In a forest in the northeastern part of what is now China a long tailed chicken sized animal clings to a tree trunk and scrambles its way upward Its fingers and toes end in claws which are great for climbing but when it reaches a branch it cannot perch Its toe structure is not developed for perching Instead it clings to the branch with its claws When it gets tired of the treetops it extends its arms and legs and glides to the ground The rows of feathers along the length of both its arms and legs form something like four wings Anchioris may have fed on insects
