From parrots to raptors, birds that demonstrate dexterity with their claws share a common ancient ancestor, new research suggests.
A study from the University of Alberta, published Aug. 15 in the journal Communications Biology, examines the evolution of bird bodies — namely, their feet.
Researchers aiming to better understand how the brains of these birds are different from their less-dexterous counterparts turned bird-loving shutterbugs into citizen scientists.
Relying on thousands of images shared by birders on the internet, researchers investigated how some birds became more talented with their talons — and how the world’s first birds gave rise to the diversity of bird species we
