Re: Ornithurine diversity

[john bois <jbois@verizon.net>]

> ...even the apparent lack of a proper fanning tail (unknown in enantis this 
> far) might be considered, though I really have no idea how that should help 
> to survive...

If I understand the question properly...a fanning tail is an aid to vertical 
lift-off.  Pigeons (for example) have an amazing capacity for getting high 
raipdly (hippies take note!).  Just quickly, this could aid survival in the 
following ways: terrestrial (and even aerial) predators have to get closer 
to affect a catch--this means that a pigeon can react more slowly, eat for a 
longer period of time, before having to fly off; such birds can also take 
advantage of food that is in places that have ambush predators...because 
they can lift off more quickly they can escape predators that would catch 
fanless birds.
Either or both of these could grant fanned birds more time at feeding 
sites...so, not only could they feed longer they could live longer.