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Mesozoic Birds: Above the Heads of Dinosaurs

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Mesozoic Birds: Above the Heads of Dinosaurs edited by Luis M. Chiappe and Lawrence M. Witmer is an astounding book on the evolution of birds. In the 1980's and 1990's there have been fossil discoveries that can link the development of birds for eighty-five million years.

This book is written by thirty-one authors as they have written abstracts on some very interesting finds and connections. This book is NOT a childrens book as the authors are writing for students and professionals in the field of paleontology. There is a lot of comparative anatomy and phylogenesis, morphology and systematics in this book. If your looking for the current information on the link with birds and the dinosaurs, this is the book that will convince you that they did exist together.

The contents of this book is divided into four parts, each with abstracts for chapters. These parts are as follows:

Part I: The Archosaurian Heritage of Birds

Part II: Taxa of Contriversial Status

Part III: The Mesozic Aviary: Anatomy and Systmatics

Part IV: Functional Morphology and Evolutions

The greatest percentage of the book is in part three where with all of the recent discoveries locks in the theory that birds were flying in the time of the dinosaurs. If your are into learning some interesting information on the origin of birds than this book is for you. If you were wondering about the connection between the dinosaurs and birds, again this is the book for you. This is a very techical book and is written for older readers looks for current theory along with knowledgeable erudition.

The writing is very technical, but it is easily readable and the information is priceless.