Ancient owl probably hunted by day
An exceptionally well-preserved fossil from Messel sheds new light on the emergence of nocturnal behaviour in owls.
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An approximately 47-million-year-old owl from the Messel quarry in Germany probably hunted by day. Researchers infer this from the exceptional preservation of the fossil and the bird’s anatomy.
The fossil comes from the Messel quarry, a site on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The skeleton still contains parts of the feathers and the remains of an insect in the stomach area. According to the researchers, it is one of the best-preserved fossil owls described to date.
The study was published in the journal Current Biology. Among other things, the researchers compared the fossil’s eye and skull characteristics with those of living owls. They conclude that the bird was not adapted to hunting in complete darkness, as many modern owls are.
This is a reconstruction of behaviour: the fossil does not directly show what time of day the animal was active. According to the researchers, the combination of anatomical features, the site and the bird’s evolutionary position does support the conclusion that nocturnal behaviour emerged in owls later than the group itself.
The find fits the picture that the characteristic features of owls did not all emerge at once. Flight, hunting, a specialised skull and nocturnal activity probably developed in different stages. The fossil therefore shows not only when an animal lived, but also how features can be combined in evolution.
The researchers write that nocturnal behaviour in owls may only have become widespread towards the end of the Eocene. That is a scientific interpretation based on one unusual fossil, not definitive evidence of the behaviour of all early owls. New finds may refine the picture further.
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Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The key facts were confirmed by the research institute and the scientific publication cited. The text clearly distinguishes between observation and evolutionary interpretation.
- confirmed The fossil is approximately 47 million years old and comes from the Messel quarry. — Senckenberg describes its age and location. source
- confirmed The study was published in Current Biology. — The source gives the publication and DOI. source
- confirmed The fossil contains feathers and the remains of an insect. — The research communication describes the exceptional preservation and stomach contents. source
- confirmed The researchers infer probable daytime activity from this. — This is the study’s conclusion, presented in the text as an interpretation. source
Editor's note
The publication is peer-reviewed. The conclusion about daytime activity is an evolutionary reconstruction based on anatomy and fossil context, not a direct observation.Sources
- Not a “night owl” yet: An extraordinary bird fossil from the Messel pit — Senckenberg Nature Research
- Evidence for diurnal habits in an exceptionally preserved Eocene owl — Current Biology
- Noch keine Nachteule: Außergewöhnliches Vogelfossil aus der Grube Messel beschrieben — Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
More on this in Dutch media
- AD — „wetenschap paleontologie”
- de Volkskrant — „wetenschap paleontologie”
- RTL Nieuws — „wetenschap paleontologie”