The foot of a bird from the Eocene Redbank Plains Formation of Queensland, Australia

Abstract

Impressions of what appear to be pedal digits II and III of a bird have been found in the Eocene Redbank Plains Formation, Brisbane, Queensland. These represent some of the oldest Cainozoic avian fossils from Australia. The broad phalanges and the phalangeal proportions indicate that the Redbank Plains bird foot was from a ground dweller. Paired processes for the flexor tendons on the proximoventral margin of phalanx 1 digit III are absent. Relative proportions of the phalanges and number of phalanges in digits II and III are similar to those of dromornithids. These two characters shared with dromornithids suggest that the Redbank Plains bird may represent the oldest known member of that clade.