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Hunter of scavenger? Predatory behaviour of the extinct Haast’s eagle
Image by Jevgeni Fil from Pixabay Haast’s eagle Harpagornis moorei was once the largest known eagle, weighing in at 20 kg – nearly 50% heavier than the largest modern eagles. This fearsome predator, now extinct, was capable of taking down prey much larger than itself, including the giant moa, which weighed between 20-200 kg. However,…
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Avian eggshell conductance and life history: How birds adapt to extreme climates
Bird embryos rely on their eggshells for the careful exchange of water vapour and gases essential to their survival. This exchange process—called eggshell conductance—is surprisingly sensitive to environmental factors, and it varies across bird species that breed in vastly different habitats. Our recent research explores how climate and life-history traits influence eggshell conductance, aiming to…
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Exploring the secrets of seabird nesting: How guillemots choose the perfect spot
Image by ramonin from Pixabay When it comes to raising a family, many animals, including birds, need to carefully pick the perfect spot to lay their eggs. For seabirds like the common guillemot Uria aalge, this choice is especially important because the wrong spot can leave their eggs vulnerable to predators or the elements. Common…
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The predatory behaviour of an extinct ‘cat-like’ marsupial carnivore
Nimbacinus dicksoni was a cat-sized marsupial carnivore from the Thylacinidae family, weighing around 5 kg. It roamed the Australian landscape during the Miocene, and its fossils have been uncovered in Tertiary deposits at Riversleigh in north-western Queensland and Bullock Creek in the Northern Territory. Nimbacinus belonged to the extinct Thylacinidae family, which includes twelve species,…
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Could the extinct giant short-faced kangaroo hop?
Image by Penny from Pixabay The giant short-faced kangaroo Simosternus occidentalis is one of the largest-known kangaroos that ever existed. It weighed up to 180 kg—roughly the size of a modern grey kangaroo but much bulkier. This species roamed the earth until it went extinct around 50,000 years ago, although some evidence suggests it may…
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Did Neanderthals speak? Insights from hyoid bone analysis
Image by Frank Rietsch from Pixabay The question of whether Neanderthals, our ancient relatives, were capable of speech or complex language has long been a subject of intense debate. The 1989 discovery of the hyoid bone from a Neanderthal specimen at Kebara Cave in Israel reignited this debate. The hyoid is a small, U-shaped bone…
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Marsupial carnivores: Feeding ecology and habitat use in Australia’s unique predators
Decline and Extinction Threats to Australia’s Marsupial Carnivores In Tasmania, European settlement brought profound changes to the island’s native carnivores. Historically, Tasmania’s carnivore guild included the iconic thylacine, alongside three dasyurids: the Tasmanian devil, spotted-tailed quoll, and eastern quoll. Thylacines, distributed across the island apart from the southwest, faced rapid population declines. Despite clear signs…
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Vocal recognition in male Australian sea lions
Male Australian sea lions aggressively defend groups of females during the breeding season, using unique vocalizations—a series of sharp barks—to ward off rival males. Their breeding cycle is unusual, spanning over 17 months rather than occurring annually, and it’s not synchronized across colonies, meaning each breeding colony has its own schedule. For my honours project,…
Marie Attard 