Mighty Mousebird

Mighty Mousebird

Poor fliers, today's arboreal mousebirds get their name because they clamber along branches and scurry through leaves like rodents as they search for berries, fruit, and buds. This ancient relative (Celericolius acriala) may have been a better flier because it had longer wings. 

Modern mousebirds are considered relics—a "living fossil" group—because the order was more diverse in the past. Currently, there are only six living species and all are confined to sub-Saharan Africa.

Specimens:  Celericolius acriala, FMNH PA730

Locality:  Fossil Butte Member of Green River Formation

Credit:  Photo courtesy L. Grande