Parrots in a nutshell: The fossil record of Psittaciformes (Aves)

Abstract

Parrots (traditional order Psittaciformes) are one of the most instantly recognizable groups of modern birds. Their relatively large heads, squat necks and broad, curved bills help to make parrots so easily identifiable. However, the few early fossil parrots that have been discovered to date (Lower Eocene), do not necessarily possess this “parrot-like” cranial morphology. Even more surprisingly, early psittaciforms have mainly been found in the northern hemisphere (Walton-on-the-Naze, England; Messel, Germany, etc.), with only a few, relatively recent, essentially modern parrot remains being found within their present range (mainly in tropical and sub-tropical Australasia and South America). Fossil parrots remain rare and those that have been identified are often the subject of much debate. This paper is an attempt to accumulate and re-evaluate the current information available on parrot fossils—an intriguing group of birds with a complicated and elusive past.

Keywords:

• Psittaciformes
• Psittacidae
• Pseudasturidae
• parrots
• fossil birds

Acknowledgements

The author is very grateful to Sandra Chapman (the Natural History Museum, London, Department of Palaeontology), Joanne Cooper and Robert Prys-Jones (the Natural History Museum, Tring, Department of Zoology, Bird Group) for allowing access to specimens reviewed in this paper; Patricia Holroyd (University California Museum of Paleontology) for providing pictures of UCMP 143274 (the “Cretaceous parrot”); Pamela Waterhouse for her knowledge of English grammar which proved very helpful when writing the manuscript (although, any grammatical errors herein are entirely my own); and finally, Gareth Dyke (University College Dublin) for his help and advice on the manuscript. The author was funded by a University College Dublin postgraduate scholarship whilst pursuing this research.