here is the paper pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC... - ThreadSky

cascoclauda.bsky.social • 18 days ago

here is the paper
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3310040/

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as it’s known from relatively complete material, a good deal can be inferred about istiodactylus’ biology. wittons’ paper notes that there were likely not the most adept at terrestrial locomotion, given that their hindlimbs and feet were disproportionately small
(skeletal by @sassypn.bsky.social)

cascoclauda.bsky.social•18 days ago

while not directly bolstering the scavenging hypothesis, a 2020 study by bestwick et al. also found istiodactylus to be carnivorous, with an obligate diet consisting of vertebrates
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7595196/

cascoclauda.bsky.social•18 days ago

if witton’s hypothesis is correct, then it’s possible – if not likely – that istiodactylus had a bare head. this is true of the majority of scavenging birds, as a bare head is easier to keep clean of blood than a feathered one

cascoclauda.bsky.social•18 days ago

of the birds pictured in the previous post, the red-headed vulture is critically endangered, with maybe as few as 2500 individuals remaining in the wild as of 2021. to learn more about conservation efforts, i recommend visiting this page:
https://peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/vultures/red-headed-vulture-0

gulop1th3cuz.bsky.social•18 days ago

Aren’t bare heads also tied to keeping the animal’s temperature regulated as well?

cascoclauda.bsky.social•18 days ago

it can help, yes - it's notable that vultures that inhabit colder climates, such as the himalayan vulture, are not completely bald. as can be seen here, their heads retain fine feathering for insulation

cascoclauda.bsky.social•18 days ago

and the bearded vulture of course is entirely feathered, perhaps due to its preference for mountainous regions

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