RE: New bird papers

[Brian Lauret <zthemanvirus@hotmail.com>]

So I wonder.

Does Masillaraptor point at a terrestrial origin for Falconiformes or at 
least the clade (Falconidae(Sagittariidae(Pandionidae+Accipittridae)))?

This could fit the habits of the secretary bird as well as the caracaras, 
which are terrestrial to some degree as well as basal within Falconidae. Are 
basal accipittrids terrestrially inclined as well? I don't think Pandion, 
being as specialised as it is can give much indication as to what its 
forebears were like.

A terrestrial origin isn't so much out of line of course, as those groups 
that have usually been proposed as relatives of this group are usually 
ground-foragers.

Just my 2 cents, of course.

Brian Lauret