Etk

Etk refers to an extinct, small-bodied bird likely related to hoatzins, a family of birds native to South America's tropical regions. The only available information about Etk is from its fossil findings in Madagascar, a northeastern island of Africa's mainland. These findings, mostly consisting of fragmented bones, indicate that the bird lived during the Eocene, a geologic epoch spanning the time period between 56 to 34 million years ago.

One of the most distinctive features of Etk is its hand, which is reported to have two claws pointing in opposite directions, positioning Etk among the very few birds exhibiting such a trait. Two noteworthy characteristics of this trait are the proportionally long middle claw and its slightly larger size in comparison to the inner claw. Notable similarities exist between Etk and the main South American hoatzin population, highlighting the distant evolutionary connections between these birds. Researchers are continuously focusing on gathering more information regarding Etk's other features. Further research is required to delve deeper into understanding Etk's role within its ecosystem.

Fossils found of Etk strongly resemble other Eocene bird fossils discovered in Madagascar, pointing to the possibility of a tangled network of ancestral influences and evolutionary adaptations experienced by these early flighted birdlife forms.