Scientists from the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History have announced the discovery of a fossilized flamingo egg, estimated to be between 8,000 and 12,000 years old, at a construction site for an international airport in Mexico State. The institute indicates that this discovery is the first of its kind in the continental part of America.
The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) reported on the findings of a study of the fossilized flamingo egg, which was found in excellent condition during the construction of Felipe Ángeles International Airport. The fossilized egg measures 93.491 mm in length and 55.791 mm in width, is oval-shaped with pointed ends, and is free of spots. The egg was discovered at a depth of 31 cm in a clay layer.
Scientists point out that "the presence of fossilized flamingos in continental North American excavations is remarkable, as modern flamingo species are spread across South America, the Caribbean, the Yucatán Peninsula, Florida in the United States, and the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico." The institute's researchers explain that the discovery of the fossilized egg in Santa Lucía municipality confirms that flamingos were part of the ancient natural lakes in central Mexico, which may have undergone significant changes due to environmental effects from glaciation and volcanic activity.
