Rare bird fossils could reveal new species

HUNDREDS of bird fossils dating back 56 million years have been donated to National Museum Scotland.

The items are believed to include many new species, one being a falconlike bird and another a diver or loon.

The 700-strong collection, which has been hailed as one of the most important in the world by experts, is from the beginning of the Eocene period and represents the early stages in the evolution of modern birds.

A notable characteristic of this period is that the global climate was several degrees warmer than it is today, meaning the specimens could help scientists learn about climate change.

Palaeontologists have said there is no other collection like it in the UK.

The rare specimens were collected by amateur palaeontology enthusiast Michael Daniels, who died last year aged 90. He had assembled several hundred skeletons and part skeletons that he had discovered in nodules of London Clay, which had eroded out of the cliffs at Walton-on-the-naze in Essex.

Experts have said the items are unusual in terms of bird fossils in that they are preserved in 3D.

Bird bones are light and fragile and so their remains are more commonly flattened prior to fossilisation.

Mr Daniels’ daughter lived in Edinburgh, and it was on a family visit to the National Museum of Scotland more than 25 years ago that he shared news of his collection with the museum’s principal curator of vertebrates, Dr Andrew Kitchener.

Dr Kitchener said: “I was astonished at the amazing variety of specimens of all shapes and sizes.”

Experts believe the collection could yield at least 50 new species once research is completed.