AMADOR BIRD TRACKS. President s Message. Membership Dues are now Due!

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1 AMADOR BIRD TRACKS Monthly Newsletter of the Amador Bird Club March, 2015 The Amador Bird Club is a group of people who share an interest in birds and is open to all. Dates of bird club meetings this year: March 13* April 10** May 8 June 12 July 10 August 14 September 11** October 9 November 13* December 12 (Xmas party) *Friday-the-13 th : drive carefully! Hi All, President s Message I assume that everyone is enjoying our EARLY spring weather. I hear the birds are even confused and starting their breeding efforts earlier, oh well Mother nature fooled us again!!! Enough of my prattling on I need to remind those members who haven't paid their annual dues that they are indeed due. Last month we had an interesting DVD on A Murder of Crows, this month I have just received from Australia today a DVD on "A Selection of Finches." I have not yet viewed it but it is produced by a very knowledgeable avian specialist named Peter Odekerken. It is a rather long DVD of about 1Hr. 20Mins. so we can decide if we want to view it in it's entirety on one night or do it on two nights. If two nights, it will cover June s meeting also, if we decide to view it all on one night we will get it rolling hopefully about 7:45 to allow everyone to get away at a reasonable hour. I am hoping to get John York to give us a presentation for our May meeting, combined with our Pizza night. Enough, actually, probably too much! See you all again on Fri. 13th home of the rare Amadorian Combo Parrot The Amador Bird Club meeting will be held on: Friday, March 13th, 2015 at 7:30 PM Place: Administration Building, Amador County Fairgrounds, Plymouth Activity: DVD "A selection of Finches"? Refreshments: Persons with last names beginning with S-Z. President Treasurer Secretary Newsletter Webmaster Officers for Blue Wrigley Cathy Hooper Terry Ryan Todd Sargent Kim Schmutzler-Agee ** Semi-Annual Raffle Blue Birds and Dinosaurs As recently as a decade ago, the proposition that birds evolved from dinosaurs was a contentious and unproven issue. After a century of hypotheses without conclusive evidence, well-preserved fossils exhibiting remarkable richness and completeness of feathered dinosaurs were discovered during the 1990s in Liaoning, China. Direct evidence of feathers now exists for at least 40 species of dinosaur, and evidence of many more features that lead to the evolution of birds continues to come in. The following article offers more detail. Membership Dues are now Due! Family $15, Single $10, Jr. $7.50 There is also a new $5.00 postage fee for those who wish to receive the newsletter by snail mail. Please give dues to Treasurer Cathy at the meeting or send by mail. 1

2 Feathered Dinosaur From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Although growing evidence of the relationship of non-avian dinosaurs to birds raised the possibility of feathered dinosaurs over the twentieth century, it was not until the mid-1990s that clearly non-avian dinosaur fossils were discovered with preserved feathers. Since then, feathers or feather-like integument have been discovered on dozens of genera of dinosaurs via both direct and indirect fossil evidence. The fossil feathers of one specimen of the alvarezsaurid Shuvuuia deserti have tested positive for beta-keratin, the main protein in bird feathers. [1] Although the vast majority of feather discoveries have been for coeleurosaurian theropods, the discoveries of integument on at least three ornithschians raise the likelihood that proto-feathers were present in basal dinosaurs, and perhaps even a more ancestral animal, in light of the pycnofibers of pterosaurs. Fossil of Microraptor gui includes impressions of feathered wings (see arrows) Early Shortly after the 1859 publication of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species, British biologist Thomas Henry Huxley proposed that birds were descendants of dinosaurs. He compared the skeletal structure of Compsognathus, a small theropod dinosaur, and the 'first bird' Archaeopteryx lithographica (both of which were found in the Upper Jurassic Bavarian limestone of Solnhofen). He showed that, apart from its hands and feathers, Archaeopteryx was quite similar to Compsognathus. Thus Archaeopteryx represents a transitional fossil. In 1868 he published On the Animals which are most nearly intermediate between Birds and Reptiles, making the case. [2][3] The leading dinosaur expert of the time, Richard Owen, disagreed, claiming Archaeopteryx as the first bird outside dinosaur lineage. For the next century, claims that birds were dinosaur descendants faded, with more popular birdancestry hypotheses including 'crocodylomorph' and 'thecodont' ancestors, rather than dinosaurs or other archosaurs. In 1969, John Ostrom described Deinonychus antirrhopus, a theropod that he had discovered in Montana in 1964 and whose skeletal resemblance to birds seemed unmistakable. Ostrom became a leading proponent of the theory that birds are direct descendants of dinosaurs. Further comparisons of bird and dinosaur skeletons, as well as cladistic analysis strengthened the case for the link, particularly for a branch of theropods called maniraptors. Skeletal similarities include the neck, the pubis, the wrists (semi-lunate carpal), the 'arms' and pectoral girdle, the shoulder blade, the clavicle and the breast bone. In all, over a hundred distinct anatomical features are shared by birds and theropod dinosaurs. Other researchers drew on these shared features and other aspects of dinosaur biology and began to suggest that at least some theropod dinosaurs were feathered. The first restoration of a feathered dinosaur was Sarah Landry's depiction of a feathered "Syntarsus" (now renamed Megapnosaurus or considered a synonym of Coelophysis), in Robert T. Bakker's 1975 publication Dinosaur Renaissance. [4] Gregory S. Paul was probably the first paleoartist to depict maniraptoran dinosaurs with feathers and protofeathers, starting in the late 1970s. By the 1990s, most paleontologists considered birds to be surviving dinosaurs and referred to 'non-avialan dinosaurs' (all extinct), to distinguish them from birds (Avialae). Before the discovery of feathered dinosaurs, the evidence was limited to Huxley and Ostrom's comparative anatomy. Some mainstream ornithologists, including Smithsonian Institution curator Storrs L. Olson, disputed the links, specifically citing the lack of fossil evidence for feathered dinosaurs. FACT: All birds reproduce by laying eggs. Eggs vary in size and color depending on species. Although there is a wide range of egg colors, only two pigments contribute to the color of the shell. The first pigment is derived from hemoglobin and the second from bile. Most species lay their eggs in a nest. Nests may vary in size, shape, and construction material, but the most common nest shape is cup-shaped. 2

3 Fossil discoveries After a century of hypotheses without conclusive evidence, well-preserved fossils of feathered dinosaurs were discovered during the 1990s, and more continue to be found. The fossils were preserved in a Lagerstätte a sedimentary deposit exhibiting remarkable richness and completeness in its fossils in Liaoning, China. The area had repeatedly been smothered in volcanic ash produced by eruptions in Inner Mongolia 124 million years ago, during the Early Cretaceous epoch. The fine-grained ash preserved the living organisms that it buried in fine detail. The area was teeming with life, with millions of leaves, angiosperms (the oldest known), insects, fish, frogs, salamanders, mammals, turtles, and lizards discovered to date. The most important discoveries at Liaoning have been a host of feathered dinosaur fossils, with a steady stream of new finds filling in the picture of the dinosaur bird connection and adding more to theories of the evolutionary development of feathers and flight. Turner et al. (2007) reported quill knobs from an ulna of Velociraptor mongoliensis, and these are strongly correlated with large and well-developed secondary feathers. [5] Behavioural evidence, in the form of an oviraptorosaur on its nest, showed another link with birds. Its forearms were folded, like those of a bird. [6] Although no feathers were preserved, it is likely that these would have been present to insulate eggs and juveniles. [7] Not all of the Chinese fossil discoveries proved valid however. In 1999, a supposed fossil of an apparently feathered dinosaur named "Archaeoraptor liaoningensis", found in Liaoning Province, northeastern China, turned out to be a forgery. Comparing the photograph of the specimen with another find, Chinese paleontologist Xu Xing came to the conclusion that it was composed of two portions of different fossil animals. His claim made National Geographic review their research and they too came to the same conclusion. [8] The bottom portion of the "Archaeoraptor" composite came from a legitimate feathered dromaeosaurid now known as Microraptor, and the upper portion from a previously-known primitive bird called Y anornis. In 2011, samples of amber were discovered to contain preserved feathers from 75 to 80 million years ago during the Cretaceous era, with evidence that they were from both dinosaurs and birds. Initial analysis suggests that some of the feathers were used for insulation, and not flight. [9] More complex feathers were revealed to have variations in coloration similar to modern birds, while simpler protofeathers were predominantly dark. Only 11 specimens are currently known. The specimens are too rare to be broken open to study their melanosomes, but there are plans for using nondestructive high-resolution X-ray imaging. [10] Sinosauropteryx fossil, first fossil of a definitively nonavialan dinosaur with feathers A nesting Citipati osmolskae specimen, at the AMNH. Minutes for meeting February 13, 2015 President Blue called the meeting to order at 7:30pm. Members in attendance were: Blue, Sarah, Terry, Sherri, Jack, Jackie, Chris Virginia, Daryl, Kim and Doug & Ingrid. The minutes were approved as written. Terry gave the Treasurer s report in Cathy s absence. Meeting plans: March?, April-Semi-Annual Raffle, May-Pizza Night & John York We adjourned for refreshments and to watch the DVD Murder of Crows! Sorry, I forgot who won the Lucky Door Prize! From the American Society of Crows and Ravens A Murder of Crows is based on the persistent but fallacious folk tale that crows form tribunals to judge and punish the bad behavior of a member of the flock. If the verdict goes against the defendant, the bird is killed or murdered by the flock. The basis in fact is probably that occasionally crows will kill a dying crow who doesn t belong in their territory or much more commonly feed on the carcasses of dead crows. Also, both crows and ravens are associated with battle fields, medieval hospitals, execution sites and cemeteries because they scavenged on human remains, In England, a tombstone is sometimes called a Ravenstone. 3

4 List of dinosaur species preserved with evidence of feathers A number of non-avialan [11] dinosaurs are now known to have been feathered. Direct evidence of feathers exists for the following species, listed in the order currently accepted evidence was first published. In all examples, the evidence described consists of feather impressions, except those genera inferred to have had feathers based on skeletal or chemical evidence, such as the presence of quill knobs (the anchor points for wing feathers on the forelimb) or a pygostyle (the fused vertebrae at the tail tip which often supports large feathers). 1. Avimimus portentosus (inferred 1987: quill knobs) [12][13] 2. Pelecanimimus polydon? (1994) [14] 3. Sinosauropteryx prima (1996) [15] 4. Protarchaeopteryx robusta (1997) [16] 5. GMV 2124 (1997) [17] 6. Caudipteryx zoui (1998) [18] 7. Rahonavis ostromi (inferred 1998: quill knobs; possibly avialan [19] ) [20] 8. Shuvuuia deserti (1999) [1] 9. Sinornithosaurus millenii (1999) [21] 10. Beipiaosaurus inexpectus (1999) [22] 11. Caudipteryx dongi (2000) [23] 12. Caudipteryx sp. (2000) [24] 13. Microraptor zhaoianus (2000) [25] 14. Nomingia gobiensis (inferred 2000: pygostyle) [26] 15. Psittacosaurus sp.? (2002) [27] 16. Scansoriopteryx heilmanni (2002; possibly avialan) [28] 17. Yixianosaurus longimanus (2003) [29] 18. Dilong paradoxus (2004) [30] 19. Pedopenna daohugouensis (2005; possibly avialan [31] ) [32] 20. Jinfengopteryx elegans (2005) [33][34] 21. Juravenator starki (2006) [35][36] 22. Sinocalliopteryx gigas (2007) [37] 23. Velociraptor mongoliensis (inferred 2007: quill knobs) [5] 24. Epidexipteryx hui (2008; possibly avialan) [38] 25. Similicaudipteryx yixianensis (inferred 2008: pygostyle; confirmed 2010) [39][40] 26. Anchiornis huxleyi (2009; possibly avialan) [41] 27. Tianyulong confuciusi? (2009) [42] 28. Xiaotingia zhengi (2011; possibly avialan) [43] 29. Yutyrannus huali (2012) [44] 30. Sciurumimus albersdoerferi (2012) [45] 31. Ornithomimus edmontonicus (2012) [46] 32. Ningyuansaurus wangi (2012) [47] 33. Eosinopteryx brevipenna (2013; possibly avialan) [48] 34. Jianchangosaurus yixianensis (2013) [49] 35. Aurornis xui (2013; possibly avialan) [50] 36. Changyuraptor yangi (2014) [51] 37. Kulindadromeus zabaikalicus? (2014) [52] 38. Citipati osmolskae (inferred 2014: pygostyle) [53] 39. Conchoraptor gracilis (inferred 2014: pygostyle) [53] 40. Deinocheirus mirificus (inferred 2014: pygostyle) [54] the article is too long for this newsletter. It continues with discussion of primitive feather types and phylogeny and the inference of feathers in other dinosaurs. The reader may view the entire article by going to wiki/feathered_dinosaur. Suffice to say that truth to the hypothesis that birds are descended from dinosaurs is no longer in doubt. The evolution of parrots is yet another saga. Cast of a Caudipteryx fossil with feather impressions and stomach content Note that the filamentous structures in some ornithischian dinosaurs (Psittacosaurus, Tianyulong and Kulindadromeus) and the pycnofibres found in some pterosaurs may or may not be homologous with the feathers of theropods. [42][55] 4

5 March 5, 2015 to March 8, 2015 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA EGG ARTISTS Egg Show & Sale Crowne Plaza Hotel 5321 Date Avenue Sacramento, CA (916) March 13, Plymouth, CA Amador Bird Club meeting March 15, Modesto, CA CCCBC meeting with speaker Mary Anne Buckles! March 22, Pomona, CA Everybody's Bird Mart - 9:30am-4pm - Building W. McKinley Ave., Pomona, CA All types of birds and supplies for sale. Best prices in town and the biggest show you will ever attend. Hundreds of vendors. $7 per adult admission. For more info call: or April 10, Plymouth, CA Amador Bird Club Semi-Annual Raffle April 19, Newman, CA CCCBC Meeting at the Places s Place July 19, Newman, CA CCCBC Meeting at the Faria s! August 16, Modesto, CA CCCBC Mini-Bird Mart August 23, Roseville, CA Foothill Bird Fanciers Bird Mart October 31, Turlock, CA CCCBC 62nd Annual Bird Show & Mart, Bourkes Parakeets Terry Ryan (209) (530) Diamond Doves CST Get Well Soon, Cindy! Our member, Cindy Diebner, is scheduled to have open heart surgery! Our thoughts and prayers will be with you! Bird Placement If you need to place a bird (find a home for a beloved companion), please consider the ABC as a resource. We have several members that are experienced at finding good homes for birds in need. We also have members that take rescue birds (already homeless birds, and/or birds with special needs). For more information, please contact: Sherri Elliot (209) Terry Ryan (209) (Amador/Calaveras area) For information on birds, referrals or the Amador Bird Club, please contact: Sherri Elliot (209) (Amador/Calaveras area) Jackie Fox (530) (northwest area) or Virginia Blake (209) (Amador/Calaveras area) amadorbirdclub@volcano.net Facebook: Website: 5

6 Amador Bird Club c/o Terry Ryan Hwy 26 Glencoe, CA Amador Bird Club Membership Application The Amador Bird Club meets the 2nd Friday of each month, 7:30pm in the Administration Building of the Amador County Fairgrounds! Name: Address: City: State Zip Phone# Cell# address: Family members: Birds owned, bird related items made/sold: New Member Renewal Are you a breeder and/or hobbyist (please check one or both) Do you want your address printed in the membership directory? yes no Signature: Date: Annual Dues: Family: $15.00 Single: $10.00 Junior: $7.50 $ ed newsletters free! Fee for newsletter via US mail: $5.00 $ Please make check payable to club secretary: Total $ Terry Ryan, Hwy 26, Glencoe, CA