Of pink doves and hunting parrots

Would you believe that pigeons are close relatives of flamingos? Or that parrots belong to the same family as falcons? That's what scientists found after carrying out a genetic study, the results of which have been released in the Science magazine. Two hundred researchers got involved in the study to sequence 48 bird genomes.

They figured out that all of today's birds come from just four genetic lineages. These "big four" were the only survivors of the massive extinction of dinosaurs 66 million years ago after a large asteroid hit Earth. With dinosaurs the ancestors of all birds, many other lineages disappeared.

But the few who left found themselves surrounded by as much land as opportunities. So they spread rapidly all over the earth, developing into new species. The explosive speed in which they spread makes it hard for scientists to understand how they are related. And even if the species of today look and sound very different from each other, they might have a lot in common on second sight.

The overall evolutionary tree, the scientists discovered, reveals the surprising relationships mentioned above. And next time you see a pigeon you might well imagine how it would look if it were pink, or if you hear a parrot's squawk, you will think of majestic falcons as well.