Photo: via Wikimedia Commons
- Order
- Psittaciformes
- Family
- Messelasturidae
An early parrot-relative from the Messelasturidae family at Fossil Lake.
Fossil Lake is thought to have been a hot-spot for early parrot diversity. The FBM contains the earliest well-preserved fossil parrots in the world. FBM parrots lack the modern parrots' characteristic beak, suggesting their diet was less specialized.
Species text: National Park Service, Fossil Butte National Monument — Fossil Bird Species.