close
Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

The Ancestry of Birds

Nature volume 242, page 136 (1973) Cite this article

Abstract

WALKER1 has restated the long-held belief that both birds and crocodiles evolved from thecodont ancestors, but he added the novel suggestion that these two groups arose from a common thecodont ancestor and thus are much more closely related than has been previously realized. Inasmuch as the Thecodontia include the most primitive as well as the most ancient archosaurs known, it is highly probable that all subsequent archosaurs (including birds) were derived from members of this order. Although Walker may be correct, I do not think that the evidence cited indicates such a close relationship between birds and crocodiles as he proposes.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Walker, A. D., Nature, 237, 257 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Ostrom, J. H., Proc. Koninkl. Neder. Akad. Wetensch., B, 75, 4 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Ostrom, J. H., Bull. Peabody Mus. Nat. Hist., 30 (1969).

  4. Russell, D. A., Canad. J. Earth Sci., 6, 595 (1970).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Broom, R., Trans. S. Afr. Phil. Soc., 16, 355 (1906).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Heilmann, G., The Origin of Birds (Appleton, New York, 1927).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Camp, C. L., Bull. Geol. Sci. Univ. California, 24, 39 (1936).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Osborn, H. F., Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. Novitates, 144, 1 (1924).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology and Geophysics, and Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut

    J. H. OSTROM

Authors
  1. J. H. OSTROM
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

OSTROM, J. The Ancestry of Birds. Nature 242, 136 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/242136a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/242136a0

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing