A newly analysed fossil skull settles a palaeontological debate over Vegavis iaai, confirming it as a relative of ducks and ...

Under these drastically changing conditions, the struggle to survive favored the larger birds with deep, strong beaks for opening the hard seeds. Smaller finches with less-powerful beaks perished.

The researchers now were able to diagnose Vegavis as nesting among the anatomically modern birds based on two cranial characteristics - the bones of its upper beak and the shape of its brain.