70-million-year-old fossil reveals ancient raptor behaved like a modern heron

Paleontologists in southern Patagonia have identified a new 70-million-year-old raptor species, Kank australis.

A well-preserved neck vertebra suggests this dinosaur had a heron-like body plan and likely fished in wetlands and shallow waters.

The find extends knowledge of unenlagiids into southern Patagonia and hints that some raptors specialized in aquatic hunting, not just land prey.