Maniraptor News

I will update this page with news related to maniraptors and link to websites that discuss these finds, the newest updates at the top.

News from past years can be found archived here.

2013
5/15
Clutch size may not be a good proxy for style of parental care
(Read about it: DML)

Evolution of the theropod tail for use in flight
(Read about it: DML)

5/10
New avialan Yanornis guozhangi
(Read about it: DML)

Falco sparverius stressed by human disturbance despite high tolerance for humans
(Read about it: ScienceDaily)

5/9
On doing paravian phylogenetic analyses
(Read about it: DML)

Estrilda astrild personality based on ecology
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

5/8
Ara macao genome sequenced
(Read about it: ScienceDaily)

New avialan Resoviaornis jamrozi
(Read about it: DML)

5/7
Female Passer domesticus lay more eggs if males put more feathers in nests
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

New oviraptorosaur Wulatelong gobiensis
(Read about it: Theropoda)

5/1
Female Molothrus ater that don't select for high-quality male songs disrupt flock behavior
(Read about it: Inkfish)

Vocal cooperation in Apteryx owenii
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

4/30
New avialan Eocypselus rowei
(Read about it: ScienceNOW)

Migratory behavior of Puffinus puffinus
(Read about it: ScienceDaily)

4/29
Cellular mechanisms behind feather color patterns
(Read about it: DML)

Body and limb size dissociation in avian evolution
(Read about it: DML)

Taphonomy of feather colors
(Read about it: DML)

4/26
Gavia immer observed mock brooding
(Read about it: ScienceNOW)

4/25
Parus major populations remain stable despite effects of climate change
(Read about it: ScienceNOW)

Iron balls found in avian sensory neurons
(Read about it: ScienceDaily)

4/24
Evolution of avian posture
(Read about it: What's in John's Freezer?, Not Exactly Rocket Science)

4/23
New oviraptorosaurs Leptorhynchos elegans and Leptorhynchos gaddisi
(Read about it: The Bite Stuff, The Theropod Database Blog)

Juvenile Sapeornis chaoyangensis specimen
(Read about it: DML)

4/19
Microraptor gui ate fish
(Read about it: Theropoda, Laelaps, Natural Selections, Art of Emily Willoughby, ScienceNOW)

Troodont tooth from India
(Read about it: DML)

4/18
Paronychodon teeth from Uzbekistan
(Read about it: DML)

4/16
New oviraptorosaur Ganzhousaurus nankangensis
(Read about it: Theropoda)

Development of navigational system in Columba livia domestica
(Read about it: Inkfish)

Enantiornithine nesting colony from Argentina
(Read about it: DML)

4/15
Color polymorphism in Tyto alba
(Read about it: DML)

Postcranial pneumaticity in charadriiforms and pelecaniforms
(Read about it: DML)

4/11
Gallus gallus domesticus with larger gizzards are more efficient
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

4/10
Turdoides bicolor young put themselves at risk to get fed more
(Read about it: Nature News and Comment, 10,000 Birds)

Evolution of sexual dimorphism in Dinornis
(Read about it: DML)

4/4
Pelecaniform and ciconiiform niche stability
(Read about it: DML)

4/3
Relationship between energy expenditure and walking speed in avians
(Read about it: DML)

Pygoscelis adeliae may benefit from climate change
(Read about it: Penguinology)

3/31
Gruid dances as play
(Read about it: BBC Nature)

3/27
Debate about fossil melanosome color studies
(Read about it: Nature News and Comment)

Lunar cycle influences behavior of Creagrus furcatus at sea
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

New specimen of Austroraptor cabazai
(Read about it: Theropoda)

Melanin concentration gradients in feathers
(Read about it: DML)

3/26
History of African sphenisciforms
(Read about it: March of the Fossil Penguins, Natural Selections)

Changing family dynamics of Fulica americana
(Read about it: Inkfish)

Avian tracks from Xinjiang
(Read about it: DML)

3/25
Magnitude of Holocene Pacific avian extinctions
(Read about it: ScienceNOW)

Genomes of Falco peregrinus and Falco cherrug sequenced
(Read about it: BBC Nature)

3/21
Cooperative reproductive behavior in Aegithalos caudatus
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

Extinction patterns of Holocene Hispaniolan avians
(Read about it: ScienceDaily)

3/20
"Triassic" avian tracks likely from the Eocene
(Read about it: DML)

3/19
Sarcoramphus sacer may be a valid taxon
(Read about it: ABA Blog)

3/18
Water vapor conductance of Troodon formosus eggs
(Read about it: DML)

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota evolving shorter wings to avoid vehicles
(Read about it: ScienceNOW, Nature News and Comment, ABA Blog, 10,000 Birds, Why Evolution is True)

Circadian clock determines timing of crowing by male Gallus gallus domesticus
(Read about it: ScienceNOW, Inkfish)

3/17
Jeholornis and enantiornithines had just one functional ovary
(Read about it: ScienceNOW, Nature News and Comment, Natural Selections)

3/16
New avialan Oligocolius psittacocephalon
(Read about it: Ibis)

3/14
Metatarsal feathers widespread in Mesozoic avialans
(Read about it: Not Exactly Rocket Science, Natural Selections, Theropoda)

Patterns of Clamator glandarius brood parasitism on Pica pica
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

3/13
Self control observed in Cacatua goffini
(Read about it: ScienceDaily)

Age-related variation in reproductive traits of Diomedea exulans
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

Evolution of avian sex roles
(Read about it: BBC Nature)

3/11
Urban noise reduces avian diversity
(Read about it: BBC Nature)

3/7
Structure of mixed-species corvid flocks
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

3/5
Aptenodytes forsteri body surfaces cool below air temperature
(Read about it: ScienceNOW)

New avialan Vadaravis brownae
(Read about it: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology)

3/1
Predicting distribution of Thalassarche melanophris
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

2/28
First record of Cenozoic fossil avian tracks from East Asia
(Read about it: Ichnos)

2/27
How Taeniopygia guttata coordinate motor functions while singing
(Read about it: ScienceDaily)

New maniraptor phylogeny
(Read about it: Theropoda, The Bite Stuff)

2/26
Impact of wintering environment on aging in Setophaga ruticilla
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

Buteo buteo are only a minor cause of death for Phasianus colchicus
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

2/25
Trochilids generate bilateral vortex loops while hovering
(Read about it: ScienceDaily)

Dinornithiform gastrointestinal parasites
(Read about it: PLoS One)

2/21
Apus apus make twilight ascents
(Read about it: ScienceDaily)

2/20
Corvus respond to inequity
(Read about it: PLoS One)

2/17
Age of crown-group passerines
(Read about it: DML)

2/16
Osteology of Balaur bondoc
(Read about it: Theropoda)

2/13
Effect of artificial light on Turdus merula
(Read about it: 80 Beats)

New avialan Otus jolandae
(Read about it: Running Ponies)

2/12
Carotenoid-rich diets make male Notiomystis concta more attractive
(Read about it: ScienceDaily)

Melospiza melodia use song type matching as threat warnings
(Read about it: ScienceDaily)

2/10
Avians evolved ultraviolet vision more than once
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

2/8
Modeling flocking behavior of Sturnus vulgaris
(Read about it: Round Robin)

2/7
More support for avians using the Earth's magnetic field during migration
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

2/6
Inferring taxonomy from fossil feather structure
(Read about it: DML)

Behavioral changes and adaptive diversification in columbiforms
(Read about it: Proceedings of the Royal Society B)

2/5
Northward spread of Phalacrocorax carbo likely limited
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

2/4
Non-destructive methods of analyzing sphenisciform diet
(Read about it: March of the Fossil Penguins)

Food sharing in Garrulus glandarius based on perceived desire of others
(Read about it: ScienceNOW, Inkfish, Why Evolution is True)

Impact of future climate change on Asian avian species
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

2/1
Anatids and scolopacids of Neogene Italy
(Read about it: Geobios)

1/31
Genomic diversity and head crest evolution in Columba livia domestica
(Read about it: ScienceNOW)

1/30
Columba livia may use infrasound "maps" to navigate
(Read about it: ScienceNOW)

1/29
Cultural evolution in Passerculus sandwichiensis songs
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

1/28
Costs and benefits of pheomelanin in avians
(Read about it: ScienceDaily)

Response of male Melospiza georgiana to wing-waving displays
(Read about it: ScienceDaily)

1/24
New avialan Saintandrea chenoides
(Read about it: Paläontologische Zeitschrift)

1/23
Chroicocephalus scopulinus increasing along Otago
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

1/22
New deinonychosaur Eosinopteryx brevipenna
(Read about it: Theropoda, Art of Emily Willoughby, Laelaps, Natural Selections)

Sex identification of Confuciusornis sanctus
(Read about it: 80 Beats, Laelaps)

Fractal geometry of plumage in Alectoris rufa indicates individual quality
(Read about it: ScienceNOW)

Multivariate analyses of small theropod (including maniraptor) teeth
(Read about it: The Integrative Paleontologists)

1/21
Hunting methods of Pygoscelis adeliae
(Read about it: March of the Fossil Penguins)

Relationship between flightlessness and cranial morphology in avians
(Read about it: DML)

1/18
How Aptenodytes patagonicus chicks navigate
(Read about it: Inkfish)

Gallus gallus domesticus don't form friendships
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

1/17
Coturnix japonica lay their eggs on ideal substrates for camoufalge
(Read about it: ScienceNOW)

1/11
New oviraptorosaur Yulong mini
(Read about it: Theropoda)

Urban avians sing at higher frequencies because they can call louder that way
(Read about it: PhysOrg)

1/10
Test of whether recaching behavior in Aphelocoma californica is attributable to stress
(Read about it: ScienceNOW)

1/8
Taeniopygia guttata syrinx visualized in 3D
(Read about it: ScienceDaily)

New specimens of Archaeorhynchus spathula
(Read about it: Theropoda)

1/7
New avialan Sulcavis geeorum
(Read about it: Theropoda, Laelaps)

1/4
Function of oviraptorosaur tails
(Read about it: ScienceNOW, Laelaps, Endless Forms, Archosaur Musings)

1/3
Osteology of Khaan mckennai
(Read about it: The Bite Stuff)

1/2
Convergence between dromaeosaurid and basal pterosaur tails
(Read about it: Pterosaur.net Blog)