Data from: Ecological implications of the correlation of avian footprints with wing characteristics: a mathematical approach

The characteristics of avian wings that evolved for flying appear to show a distinct relationship to the shape of the pes and walking abilities as reflected in footprints. Wing area, wing span and body weight data of modern birds were collected and analysed in order to quantify the possible correlation, which was previously only inferred from empirical data. Discriminant analysis demonstrated that avian wings can be divided into three habitat groups, in a similar way to footprints. Multiple regression analyses revealed that the avian wing loading and aspect ratio were correlated with the parameters of footprint shape and can be expressed by a simple equation. The results may reflect the adaptation of avian locomotion to habitat. The relationships between wing area and wing span, and between wing area and footprint area, which are apparent in modern avians, were derived and used to estimate wing area and wing span from the footprints of extinct Cretaceous avian taxa. The estimated values of body weight, wing span and wing area suggest that the trackmakers of Archaeornithipus meijidei, Hwangsanipes choughi and Yacoraitichnus avis had bodies similar to herons (or cranes), large sandpipers (or small sea birds) and medium-sized gull-like birds, respectively.为适应飞行演化形成的鸟类翼部特征，与足部（pes）形态及足迹所反映的行走能力之间，存在明确的关联。本研究收集并分析了现代鸟类的翼面积、翼展与体重数据，以量化此前仅能依托经验数据推导的潜在相关性。判别分析（Discriminant analysis）结果显示，鸟类翼部可被划分为三类生境类群，其分类逻辑与足迹分类方式一致。多元回归分析（Multiple regression analyses）揭示，鸟类翼载荷（wing loading）与展弦比（aspect ratio）与足迹形态参数存在相关性，且可通过简单公式进行表达。该研究结果或可反映鸟类运动方式对生境的适应性。研究推导出现代鸟类翼面积与翼展、以及翼面积与足迹面积之间的显著关联，并利用这些关联从已灭绝的白垩纪（Cretaceous）鸟类类群的足迹中估算其翼面积与翼展。估算得到的体重、翼展与翼面积数值表明，Archaeornithipus meijidei、Hwangsanipes choughi与Yacoraitichnus avis的造迹者，其体型分别近似于鹭（或鹤）、大型滨鹬（或小型海鸟）以及中型鸥类鸟类。