steppides

Steppides are a genus of extinct flightless birds that lived in what is now North America during the Oligocene epoch. They are known from fossil remains found in various locations, including the Badlands of South Dakota. Steppides were relatively small birds, roughly the size of a modern raven, with a stout build. Their skeletal structure suggests they were adapted for running on open ground, a characteristic common among many extinct ground birds.

The diet of steppides is believed to have consisted primarily of seeds and insects, based on their beak morphology and the likely paleoenvironment they inhabited. The Oligocene period was marked by widespread grasslands and savannas, environments that steppides would have been well-suited to exploit. Their flightlessness was likely an adaptation to these open habitats, where evasion of predators would have been achieved through speed and agility on the ground, rather than through flight.

The genus Steppides was first described in the early 20th century, and research on its fossil specimens has provided insights into the avian diversity of the Oligocene. While not as well-known as some other prehistoric birds, steppides represent an important piece of the evolutionary puzzle of North American avifauna, illustrating the diversification of ground-dwelling birds in response to changing environmental conditions. The exact evolutionary relationships of steppides are still debated among paleontologists, but they are generally placed within the group of birds known as Galloanseres, which includes chickens and ducks.