From art to evolution: Why functional morphology of birds matters

Abstract

Here we discuss the main stages in the study of the morphology of the avian hind limbs as an example of the historical development of morphological studies in biology: from illustrations at the level of a work of art, through the collection of anatomical material and its functional interpretation to the reconstruction of hypothetical and real forms. We provide a synopsis of original studies, describing the stages in the evolution of jacanas and trogons, as well as the key locomotor adaptation of passerine birds. Reconstructions of the soft tissues and ligaments of the hind limbs of the Hesperornis, moa, and Haast’s eagle make it possible to judge the peculiarities of locomotion in extinct species.