Messelasturidae
| Messelasturidae | |
|---|---|
| Tynskya eocaena | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Clade: | Eufalconimorphae |
| Order: | †Halcyornithiformes |
| Family: | †Messelasturidae Mayr 2005 |
| Genera | |
Messelasturidae is an extinct family of birds known from the Eocene of North America and Europe. Their morphology is a mosaic that in some aspects are very similar to modern hawks and falcons, but in others are more similar to parrots. Initially interpreted as stem-owls, more recent studies have suggested a closer relationship to parrots and passerines. Their ecology is enigmatic.