Tag: tree of life

Over 100 years has passed since their discovery, yet some of the world’s most bizarre fossils have just been identified as distant relatives of humans, thanks to the work of University of Adelaide researchers.

They are known as some of the brightest, loudest, most unusual looking, and least understood birds that glide across our skies. Some have bulbous crests, long fleshy wattles, or Elvis-worthy pompadours, along with electric blue, deep purple, or screaming orange feathers. Thanks to a comprehensive new evolutionary ‘tree of life’ created for the tropical continga family of South America, the door is now open to new discoveries about the 60 plus species in this incredibly varied group of birds.