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New tree of life confirms strange history of birds

Worldwide effort reexamines avian evolution

Flamingos

MODERN FAMILY Flamingos and other waterbirds end up scattered in a new tree of life, one of the examples of placement that may surprise bird-watchers used to field guide groups. 

Rob Slaven/Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

By Susan Milius

- More than 2 years ago

An ambitious genetic analysis of deep avian history strongly supports some counterintuitive ideas about bird evolution that differ from the species groupings familiar in field guides.