Watch a chickadee flit between branches, and you’re witnessing living evolutionary history in action. These beloved backyard visitors share a common ancestor with massive extinct terror birds that once stalked ancient landscapes. Modern birds’ remarkable diversity – from tiny hummingbirds to soaring eagles – emerged through millions of years of adaptation, creating one of nature’s most fascinating family trees. Recent DNA analysis has revolutionized our understanding of avian relationships, revealing unexpected connections between seemingly different species. Right here in New Hampshire’s forests, you can spot evidence of these evolutionary links: the shared hollow bones that make woodpeckers and …