RE: Life of Birds (vertical running)

[MKIRKALDY@aol.com]

In a message dated Wed, 10 Oct 2001  8:52:14 AM Eastern Daylight Time, "Thomas 
R. Holtz, Jr." <tholtz@geol.umd.edu> writes:

< Neither the foot and leg adaptations nor the forelimb motion used in this 
"wing assisted incline running" or whatever they are going to call it are 
things which are absent in maniraptorans basally.  Extremely, extremely cool.>

Ken Dial's talk was notable for both science and humor.  In a video of a baby 
bird struggling to use its little wings to fly/climb up an incline, a 
researcher had his hand cupped to catch it if it fell, which it did.  When the 
baby bird slid back down the ramp, there was a collective "Awww" from the 
audience.  Ken said something to the effect of "big, tough 
paleontologists..bunch of wusses."

Mary
mkirkaldy@aol.com