Messelasturidae

Messelasturidae Temporal range: Eocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Eocene (possible Paleocene representative)[1]
Tynskya eocaena
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Clade:	Eufalconimorphae
Family:	†Messelasturidae Mayr 2005
Genera
†Messelastur †Tynskya

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.