Ardeotis cf. australis

Australian Bustard

This trackway was found near Coffin Bay on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. The tridactyl morphology, combined with the size, means that there are few possible trace makers and the morphology matches well with that of the Bustard.

Skeletal element: Trackway with three consecutive prints
Specimen number: FU2797
Significance of specimen: This is the only known trace fossil made by a bustard
Geological age: Late Pleistocene, Bridgewater Formation
State/territory: South Australia
Locality/site: Coffin Bay