Oldest known avian footprints from A ustralia: E umeralla F ormation ( A lbian), D inosaur C ove, V ictoria

Two thin‐toed tridactyl tracks in a fluvial sandstone bed of the E umeralla F ormation ( A lbian) at D inosaur C ove ( V ictoria, A ustralia) were likely made by avian trackmakers, making these the oldest known fossil bird tracks in A ustralia and the only E arly C retaceous ones from G ondwana. These tracks, which co‐occur on the same surface with a slightly larger nonavian theropod track, are distinguishable by their anisodactyl form, hallux impressions and wide digit II – IV divarication angles. A lengthy hallux impression and other deformational structures associated with one track indicate foot movement consistent with an abrupt stop, suggesting its tracemaker landed after either flight or a hop. The single nonavian theropod track is similar to other tracks described from the E umeralla F ormation at another locality. The avian footprints are larger than most E arly C retaceous avian tracks recorded worldwide, indicating sizeable enantiornithine or ornithurine species in formerly polar environments of A ustralia. The avian tracks further supplement scant body fossil evidence of E arly C retaceous birds in southern A ustralia, which includes a furcula from the Wonthaggi F ormation. Because of this discovery, D inosaur C ove, previously known for its vertebrate body fossils, is added to a growing list of E arly C retaceous vertebrate tracksites in southern A ustralia.