Ancient Bird Fossil Found in China, Reshaping Understanding of Avian Evolution

Chinese Scientists Discover Ancient Bird Fossil in Fujian Province

Chinese scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery in East China's Fujian Province. They have unearthed one of the world's oldest bird fossils, named Baminornis zhenghensis. This discovery is significant because it is the only confirmed Jurassic avian found to date.

The research, published in the prestigious journal Nature, reveals that the body structure of modern birds had already emerged in the Late Jurassic period, approximately 150 million years ago. This finding pushes back the appearance of a key avian feature, the pygostyle, by nearly 20 million years.

The Baminornis zhenghensis fossil was discovered in November 2023 and identified as a bird after a year of meticulous restoration and analysis. Despite being incomplete, the fossil retains crucial features, including separate scapulae and coracoids, and most notably, a fully fused pygostyle. This feature is essential for the modern bird's body structure.

Previously, the oldest widely recognized bird was Archaeopteryx, discovered in Germany and dating back to the Jurassic period. However, recent studies have questioned its classification, suggesting it may be more closely related to dinosaurs than birds.

The discovery of Baminornis zhenghensis provides definitive evidence that the body structure of modern birds appeared in the Jurassic period. This pushes the origin of birds back to around 172 to 164 million years ago, reshaping our understanding of avian evolution. This remarkable find is currently the most definitive and only known Jurassic bird.