Diving Birds in the Prairies - Late Cretaceous Hesperornithiformes

Explore the fascinating world of Late Cretaceous diving birds in this 38-minute lecture from the Royal Tyrrell Museum Speaker Series. Delve into Joe Sanchez's research on Hesperornithiformes, ancient aquatic birds that inhabited the prairies during the Cenomanian age. Learn about their unique anatomy, including less reduced wings and distinctive leg positions, which suggest a different form of locomotion compared to modern diving birds. Discover the significance of fossil findings from the Pasquia Hills in Saskatchewan, and gain insights into the stratigraphy and element representation of these intriguing avian specimens. Uncover the mysteries surrounding an unknown Hesperornithiform species and its implications for our understanding of prehistoric bird diversity and evolution.

Intro
What are Hesperornithiformes?
Locality
Stratigraphy
Problem and Purpose
Element Representation
Wings less reduced
Leg Position and Movement
Toe Rotation
Different form of Locomotion
Unknown Hesperornithiform