Ancient Fossil Trackways Uncover Europe's First Raptor-Prey Encounter

Fossil trackways discovered in Portugal provide evidence of a raptor-prey attack in Pleistocene Europe. The trackways include Corvidichnus odemirensis, attributed to a Western jackdaw, and Buboichnus vicentinus, interpreted as a predatory feeding trace of a Eurasian eagle-owl. The latter is considered one of the first examples of a raptorial bird preying on another animal preserved in a trace fossil. The tracks were found in aeolianite sandstones and provide insights into the larger ecosystem of the Late Pleistocene. Photogrammetry was used to create 3D digital models of the trackways for analysis.