Alberta Claw
@albertonykus.bsky.social
Researcher studying extant and fossil birds. Alternatively, North American alvarezsaurid described in 2009. They/them.
Links: https://linktr.ee/albertonykus
Links: https://linktr.ee/albertonykus
Reposted by Alberta Claw
Great Shearwater leaving a tiny track where it dipped (sheared) a wingtip in the water. South Atlantic off #Argentina 🪶🦑
November 25, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Great Shearwater leaving a tiny track where it dipped (sheared) a wingtip in the water. South Atlantic off #Argentina 🪶🦑
Reposted by Alberta Claw
One of my favourite #Pleistocene mammals - and, yes, it has a role in #PrehistoricPlanetIceAge - is the big predatory marsupial #Thylacoleo. Here's an introduction to this fantastic animal.... tetzoo.com/blog/2025/11... #marsupials
Thylacoleo, the Incredible Marsupial Lion — Tetrapod Zoology
Among the most striking and interesting of extinct mammals is the so-called marsupial lion of Australia, or Thylacoleo carnifex …
tetzoo.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:51 PM
One of my favourite #Pleistocene mammals - and, yes, it has a role in #PrehistoricPlanetIceAge - is the big predatory marsupial #Thylacoleo. Here's an introduction to this fantastic animal.... tetzoo.com/blog/2025/11... #marsupials
Reposted by Alberta Claw
Pleco plushies are in stock again over at www.palaeoplushies.com !!
Support a small business (me and my sister) this holiday season, so we can keep doing this!
Support a small business (me and my sister) this holiday season, so we can keep doing this!
November 24, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Pleco plushies are in stock again over at www.palaeoplushies.com !!
Support a small business (me and my sister) this holiday season, so we can keep doing this!
Support a small business (me and my sister) this holiday season, so we can keep doing this!
Reposted by Alberta Claw
Happy Origin Day! Published OTD in 1859
November 24, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Happy Origin Day! Published OTD in 1859
Reposted by Alberta Claw
Paleo folks: Please recommend researchers (incl yourselves) interested in phylogenetic reconstruction in deep time, molecular clocks (discord w/ fossil clocks), foundational/methodological issues in phylo/paleo-reconstruction & who'd be interested in hanging w/ historians & philosophers of science ⚒️
November 24, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Paleo folks: Please recommend researchers (incl yourselves) interested in phylogenetic reconstruction in deep time, molecular clocks (discord w/ fossil clocks), foundational/methodological issues in phylo/paleo-reconstruction & who'd be interested in hanging w/ historians & philosophers of science ⚒️
Reposted by Alberta Claw
I would sell my entire soul for all my fellow science communicators to stop ending the "story of the dinosaurs" at the end-cretaceous extinction and dive into, even briefly, the story of cenozoic birds. I'm also willing to offer cash, I just don't have much of it.
November 23, 2025 at 9:00 PM
I would sell my entire soul for all my fellow science communicators to stop ending the "story of the dinosaurs" at the end-cretaceous extinction and dive into, even briefly, the story of cenozoic birds. I'm also willing to offer cash, I just don't have much of it.
Reposted by Alberta Claw
Merlin stoop! 🪶
November 1, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Merlin stoop! 🪶
Reposted by Alberta Claw
Gannet shows how its done.
#SuperSeabirdSunday
#SuperSeabirdSunday
November 23, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Gannet shows how its done.
#SuperSeabirdSunday
#SuperSeabirdSunday
Reposted by Alberta Claw
Our lab just published a cool paper on seed-cracking bettongs. Not just any seeds, but some of the hardest seeds out there! Two species in the same genus showing different adaptations to hard biting. Very cool 💀💀🤓🤓 #skull #science academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/a...
November 20, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Our lab just published a cool paper on seed-cracking bettongs. Not just any seeds, but some of the hardest seeds out there! Two species in the same genus showing different adaptations to hard biting. Very cool 💀💀🤓🤓 #skull #science academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/a...
Reposted by Alberta Claw
it is truly one of the treasures of nature that they look so elegant from every angle except this one
November 22, 2025 at 10:20 PM
it is truly one of the treasures of nature that they look so elegant from every angle except this one
Reposted by Alberta Claw
The first of a paleoart series I'm calling "Perspectives," which aims to highlight the evolution of life on Earth with a variety of different creatures and styles.
This one is "Pale First Dot," depicting good ol' LUCA, the last universal common ancestor.
#sciart #paleoart #paleontology
This one is "Pale First Dot," depicting good ol' LUCA, the last universal common ancestor.
#sciart #paleoart #paleontology
June 9, 2025 at 5:18 PM
The first of a paleoart series I'm calling "Perspectives," which aims to highlight the evolution of life on Earth with a variety of different creatures and styles.
This one is "Pale First Dot," depicting good ol' LUCA, the last universal common ancestor.
#sciart #paleoart #paleontology
This one is "Pale First Dot," depicting good ol' LUCA, the last universal common ancestor.
#sciart #paleoart #paleontology
Wing structure and irregular feather molt in the early paravian dinosaur Anchiornis: www.nature.com/articles/s42... 🪶🧪 (📷Kiat et al.)
November 21, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Wing structure and irregular feather molt in the early paravian dinosaur Anchiornis: www.nature.com/articles/s42... 🪶🧪 (📷Kiat et al.)
Reposted by Alberta Claw
Our little birdy made the cover of Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Amazing how a bird sank to the bottom of Fossil Lake 51 million years ago and ended up entombed in sediments that perfectly match the background color/texture of the journal.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
November 21, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Our little birdy made the cover of Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Amazing how a bird sank to the bottom of Fossil Lake 51 million years ago and ended up entombed in sediments that perfectly match the background color/texture of the journal.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Alberta Claw
I mean, the title says it all: Genetic confirmation of an “uncommon mourningthroat” (Geothlypis philadelphia × G. trichas): A rare but persistent hybrid warbler. Fun stuff with @kevinfpbennett.bsky.social and Kurt Gielow, OA in @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social!
🦉 🧪
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
🦉 🧪
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
November 21, 2025 at 2:34 PM
I mean, the title says it all: Genetic confirmation of an “uncommon mourningthroat” (Geothlypis philadelphia × G. trichas): A rare but persistent hybrid warbler. Fun stuff with @kevinfpbennett.bsky.social and Kurt Gielow, OA in @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social!
🦉 🧪
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
🦉 🧪
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Alberta Claw
There’s such beauty in variety – and the eggs laid by our terns show it too. In our newest paper we try to find patterns in this variety and test how female identity and age, as well as laying order, affect the colour, spottiness, shape, and size of eggs: doi.org/10.1002/ece3...
November 19, 2025 at 2:26 PM
There’s such beauty in variety – and the eggs laid by our terns show it too. In our newest paper we try to find patterns in this variety and test how female identity and age, as well as laying order, affect the colour, spottiness, shape, and size of eggs: doi.org/10.1002/ece3...
Reposted by Alberta Claw
Hey #birds people, if you were preparing to talk to a 6th grade class about bird mysteries, which ones would you focus on?
My first instinct is migration in general-- an emotionally mysterious behavior with some unanswered mechanistic and evolutionary questions.
But I'm hoping to give alternatives
My first instinct is migration in general-- an emotionally mysterious behavior with some unanswered mechanistic and evolutionary questions.
But I'm hoping to give alternatives
November 20, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Hey #birds people, if you were preparing to talk to a 6th grade class about bird mysteries, which ones would you focus on?
My first instinct is migration in general-- an emotionally mysterious behavior with some unanswered mechanistic and evolutionary questions.
But I'm hoping to give alternatives
My first instinct is migration in general-- an emotionally mysterious behavior with some unanswered mechanistic and evolutionary questions.
But I'm hoping to give alternatives
Reposted by Alberta Claw
After being declared extinct twice(!), it was on this day in 1948 that the Takahē (Porphyrio hochstetteri) was rediscovered again. Thanks to intensive conservation work there are now more than 500. www.doc.govt.nz/our-work/tak...
The incredible takahē story
Thought to be extinct not once but twice, the takahē's remarkable story of survival and rediscovery is a testament to the resilience of nature.
www.doc.govt.nz
November 20, 2025 at 3:10 PM
After being declared extinct twice(!), it was on this day in 1948 that the Takahē (Porphyrio hochstetteri) was rediscovered again. Thanks to intensive conservation work there are now more than 500. www.doc.govt.nz/our-work/tak...
Reposted by Alberta Claw
My alma mater, Leicester University, is dissolving its Geology Department leading to the loss of 14 staff. Palaeo is being completely axed, despite Leicester's long and storied history in this area (and its current strengths). Please sign this petition!!: www.change.org/p/save-geolo...
Sign the Petition
Save Geology at the University of Leicester
www.change.org
November 19, 2025 at 9:10 AM
My alma mater, Leicester University, is dissolving its Geology Department leading to the loss of 14 staff. Palaeo is being completely axed, despite Leicester's long and storied history in this area (and its current strengths). Please sign this petition!!: www.change.org/p/save-geolo...
Reposted by Alberta Claw
A Wild Turkey takes to the air to head into the woods.
November 14, 2025 at 10:23 PM
A Wild Turkey takes to the air to head into the woods.
Reposted by Alberta Claw
A young Red-headed Woodpecker, who still has some gray head feathers, did not want a Pileated Woodpecker around and let the much bigger bird know.
November 17, 2025 at 10:27 PM
A young Red-headed Woodpecker, who still has some gray head feathers, did not want a Pileated Woodpecker around and let the much bigger bird know.
Reposted by Alberta Claw
One of my favorite Winter birds, the cute and round Winter Wren. They look very similar to the Eurasian Wren and the Pacific Wren. These three birds were considered the same species until a split in 2010.
November 18, 2025 at 10:59 PM
One of my favorite Winter birds, the cute and round Winter Wren. They look very similar to the Eurasian Wren and the Pacific Wren. These three birds were considered the same species until a split in 2010.
Reposted by Alberta Claw
A female Pileated Woodpecker carving out a rectangular hole while looking for ants.
November 19, 2025 at 12:00 AM
A female Pileated Woodpecker carving out a rectangular hole while looking for ants.
Reposted by Alberta Claw
One of the most touching moments from #2025SVP: turtle paleontologists from Taiwan, Yi-Lu Liaw & Cheng-Hsiu Tsai, gifted me this beautiful wooden engraving featuring their newly described Early Pleistocene loggerhead turtle— a thank-you for reviewing their manuscript & helping it reach publication
November 18, 2025 at 4:11 PM
One of the most touching moments from #2025SVP: turtle paleontologists from Taiwan, Yi-Lu Liaw & Cheng-Hsiu Tsai, gifted me this beautiful wooden engraving featuring their newly described Early Pleistocene loggerhead turtle— a thank-you for reviewing their manuscript & helping it reach publication
Reposted by Alberta Claw
New at Tetrapod Zoology .... The Life Appearance of Glyptodonts, a remarkable group of giant and anatomically amazing group of extinct armadillos tetzoo.com/blog/2025/11... #mammals
The Life Appearance of Glyptodonts — Tetrapod Zoology
For some time now I’ve been interested in what the glyptodonts – a group of highly modified, large or gigantic armadillos – looked like when alive….
tetzoo.com
November 18, 2025 at 5:52 PM
New at Tetrapod Zoology .... The Life Appearance of Glyptodonts, a remarkable group of giant and anatomically amazing group of extinct armadillos tetzoo.com/blog/2025/11... #mammals