Perfectly preserved owl fossil from 47 million years ago could help to solve a major evolutionary mystery

An almost perfectly preserved owl fossil from 47 million years ago in Germany has revealed new insights into when these birds became nocturnal. The study, published in Current Biology, describes the tiny owl, named Masillastrix blattophaga, which was active during the day. This suggests that owls were not nocturnal 47 million years ago and likely switched to a nighttime lifestyle more recently.

The owl had a greenish-blue, iridescent cockroach in its stomach, providing evidence of its diurnal lifestyle. Researchers believe the owl's stocky upper wing bones indicate it flew during the day, as modern nocturnal owls have slim bones that allow for silent flight. The fossil suggests that owls became nocturnal between 47 million and 35 million years ago, deepening the mystery of why they evolved this behavior.