"Genetic Discovery Unveils Mystery Species in Largest Bird Genome Study"
The largest-ever study of bird genomes has revealed a clear picture of the bird family tree, identifying fundamental relationships among major groups of living birds and overturning some previous ideas about bird relationships. The study also unveiled a new grouping of birds called "Elementaves" and confirmed a close relationship between passerines and parrots. Additionally, the study placed a timescale on the bird family tree, showing that most groups of modern birds emerged within a few million years after the extinction of dinosaurs. However, one branch of the bird family tree, the hoatzin, remains a mystery despite the extensive genome data analysis.
