Adult male Horned Lark perched on a snow bank – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/3200, ISO 500, +0.3, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light
In 2018 fossil hunters in Siberia found a extremely well preserved bird seven meters down a tunnel in permafrost that turned out to be a 46,000 year old Horned Lark. The lark was so well preserved in the permafrost that experts were able to determine through radiocarbon dating how old the specimen was and that the lark hadn’t died a violent death. They also identified that the bird was a female.
Through testing scientists were able to determine that the “Icebird” may be an ancestor to two distinct Horned Lark species that are alive today, one in Siberia and the other in Mongolia. Researchers hope to map the complete genome of the 46,000-year-old lark and compare it with the genomes from all subspecies of horned larks.
The discovery of the “Icebird” is exciting because it is the first bird carcass procured from Ice Age permafrost deposits. During that time period woolly mammoths still roamed the earth. As I write this my mind whirls and wonders what amazing things the “Icebird” saw during her lifetime and I find myself wishing I could step through a portal to see what she might have seen providing of course that I could just as easily step back into the present time. I can dream, right?
I haven’t photographed Horned Larks in Russia but I have photographed Horned Larks here in the U.S. and I appreciate their subtle beauty, their delicate, musical songs and calls and observing them as they go about their lives.
The male Horned Lark in my photo was photographed in February of 2013 in northern Utah as he and a few other larks warmed up in the sunlight as they perched on a snow bank.
The discovery of the “Icebird” is exciting and fascinating news for those of us who love birds. I hope to hear more about her in the future.
Life is good.
Mia
See these sources. Some articles have more photos than others which is why I included three links to articles about the find.
Frozen bird turns out to be 46,000-year-old horned lark – ScienceDaily.com
Frozen bird that was so well preserved fossil hunters thought it ‘died yesterday’ turns out to be 46,000 YEAR-OLD – dailymail.co.uk
Thanks for sharing. That is truly amazing
Just think…that Horned Lark died 6,000 years BEFORE the Neanderthals essentially went extinct. Food for thought ain’t it? Fascinating post. Thanks Mia.
Fascinating! Thank you for sharing the articles.
It was an interesting find.
What exciting news.
How I love knowing that birds (and no doubt very similar birds) flew the world then, as they do now.
Great article!
We enjoyed seeing Horned Larks when we lived in west Texas.
It will be fascinating to follow the genome study of this bird.