American scientists from Emori University have discovered the oldest evidence of the existence of birds in the South Pole. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine PLOS One.
Analysis of fossils has shown that the first birds arrived in the south polar regions about 120 million years ago.
The researchers identified 27 individual tracks with features consistent with birds. The varying sizes and shapes of these markings indicate the presence of many different bird species, including the largest known from the Cretaceous period.
The tracks were present in several layers of the ancient polar floodplain; This suggests that these birds may have visited the area seasonally, perhaps as part of a migratory route.
Paleontologists said the results have important implications for understanding how early birds dispersed across land and into different environments.
Previous scientists discovered Remains of the oldest bird in China.