Sense of Adventure

Via Cryptomundo, we learn that a DNA survey by the Chicago Field Museum reveals that “falcons are more closely related to parrots than to other hunters such as hawks and eagles.” Allegedly.

Say what?

I can accept it as a cosmic joke that the closest living relative of the great and terrible Tyrannosaurus rex is the tasty chicken on my plate (get your revenge on Rex with this delicious-looking recipe for marinated red chile chicken.) But to think that the fierce and independent (and, face it, cute) little kestrels I see around here so often, who so perfectly exemplify Gary Larson’s dictum that “Birds of prey know they’re cool,” are … parrots?

One way or another, that’s what they say here: “Field Museum’s genetic study rewrites family tree on birds.”

Read + weep.

Tags: Dinosaurs!, tastes like chicken

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 29th, 2008 at 2:45 pm and is filed under Birding. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.