- Pterosaur (eg. Azhdarchoidea) --->
- Primitive shorebird (eg. Graculavus) -->
- Modern shorebirds - eg. plovers, oystercatchers, sandpipers (Charadriiformes/Charadrii) and storks (Ciconiidae)
Shorebirds
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Calidris-pusilla-001.jpg/240px-Calidris-pusilla-001.jpg
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSti0mLreJDIJf4JDMrbXj6kw943T638pvojNtaXc_1V41DNMfR4g
Shorebird video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c44H8KTSMDU&feature=related
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graculavus
68–62 Ma
Graculavus is a prehistoric bird genus that was described by O. C. Marsh.
Graculavus is the namesake for the form taxon "Graculavidae", a plesiomorphic assembly of unrelated birds that were believed to hold a key position in avian evolution as "transitional shorebirds." Two species are known: Graculavus augustus from the Western Interior Seaway and Graculavus velox from the Atlantic Seaboard.[1]
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0002271
"However, azhdarchid footprints show that their feet were relatively small, padded and slender, and thus not well suited for wading. We argue that azhdarchids were stork- or ground hornbill-like generalists, foraging in diverse environments for small animals and carrion".
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