Re: possible role of echolocation in K-T survival

["Matthew Troutman" <m_troutman@hotmail.com>]

>On Sat, 7 Mar 1998, Matthew Troutman wrote:
>>      That certainly is a unique hypothesis. However, this cannot be a 
>> factor for all survivors through the K-T. No birds that I know of    
>> (besides the oilbird?) echolate. 
>
>Again, the interesting question of how come so few dinosaurs (avian and
>otherwise) manage to exploit the nocturnal niche.  The reasons for this
>surely (I would think) go back to small brain size or inferiority of 
light
>collection--or some such important constraint.

     What an interesting question it is! It almost seems like dinosaurs 
no matter what the variety are, when they go into a nocturnal existance, 
are forced into it. The reasons could be many. In Aves, the only 
nocturnal birds ( caprimulgiforms, strigiformes, some swifts ) are 
related to each other. Caprimulgiformes ( goatsuckers, frogmouths, 
nightjars ) are nocturnal and their descendents the Strigiformes ( owls 
) are also nocturnal. However, some other descendents, swifts, only a 
few live in the dark, and their near relatives ( possible descendents ) 
the hummingbirds are like all other birds. This is very strange.

 MattTroutman

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com