Scientists have unearthed the oldest short-tailed bird fossil, dated to 150 million years ago, in Fujian Province, China. This discovery offers new evidence regarding the origins of fossil birds and implies that avian species may have appeared earlier than traditionally thought, altering existing theories of avian evolution.
The fossil, named Baminornis zhenghensis, was unearthed in Zhenghe County. It features a short tail ending in a single bone, similar to modern birds.
This structure indicates that key bird-like traits began developing in the Late Jurassic Period, nearly 20 million years earlier than previously thought. This offers critical insights into the origin of fossil birds.
A unique blend of features
Researchers noted that Baminornis zhenghensis exhibits a rare combination of characteristics from both modern birds and dinosaurs. It has shoulders and hips similar to birds today but retains a dinosaur-like hand.
Wang Min, lead scientist from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP), described the mix of traits as surprising and unusual.
The discovery challenges long-held views that Archaeopteryx was the only bird from the Jurassic Period. “If the avian status of Archaeopteryx is in question, the Baminornis zhenghensis is currently the most definitive Jurassic bird,” Wang said.
Implications for bird evolution
The fossil suggests that the first birds may have emerged between 172 million and 164 million years ago, pushing back the timeline of bird evolution. The study, conducted by IVPP and the Fujian Institute of Geological Survey, was published in the journal Nature.
While it is widely accepted that birds evolved from dinosaurs, the exact timing remains debated. Until now, Archaeopteryx was considered the earliest known bird. However, some researchers argue that it was more closely related to theropod dinosaurs, like deinonychosaurs, rather than being a “true” bird.
Chinese scientists have discovered one of the world's oldest bird fossils of Baminornis zhenghensis in East China's Fujian Province, which is also the only confirmed Jurassic avian to date, and found that the body structure of modern birds had already emerged in the Late… pic.twitter.com/owYtmjCRj7
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) February 13, 2025
One of the biggest evolutionary shifts from dinosaurs to birds was the tail shortening. Scientists say the most distinctive feature of Baminornis zhenghensis is what’s called a pygostyle, a fused tailbone structure found in modern birds.
Wang explained that this adaptation helped shift the bird’s center of gravity, improving balance and flight efficiency.
A window into the Jurassic world
Scientists estimate that Baminornis zhenghensis weighed about 100 grams, roughly the size of a pet parrot. It likely lived in a swampy environment, where its shorter tail and well-developed shoulder bones may have given it stronger flight abilities than Archaeopteryx. However, due to the fossil’s incomplete state, researchers cannot determine its exact flying posture.
At the same site, scientists discovered a single wishbone fossil belonging to Ornithuromorpha, a bird group from the Cretaceous Period. The presence of two distinct bird species suggests that a variety of early birds lived in the region.
A landmark discovery
The fossils provide crucial evidence that birds had already begun diversifying by the end of the Jurassic Period. Baminornis zhenghensis is a major discovery, said Stephen L. Brusatte, a paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh. He described it as “most important bird fossils unearthed since the discovery of Archaeopteryx in the early 1860s.”
China discovers the earliest short-tailed bird, rewriting the history of avian evolution! Previously, it was widely known that the earliest bird is Archaeopteryx, which was discovered from the Late Jurassic, Germany. However, a study published in “Nature” reported one of the… pic.twitter.com/ZzDZeyYDJR
— Hola Fujian (@HolaFujian) February 13, 2025
Xu Xing, head of IVPP, emphasized the broader significance of the find. “Why did dinosaurs take to the skies and eventually evolve into the over 11,000 species of birds we have today? Such a major transition involved a series of changes. How were these changes in anatomy, physiology and behaviors across the entire body accomplished?” Xu said.
“We hope we can find more complete bird fossils, and even those with feathers, in the future so that our understanding of evolution becomes more comprehensive and profound.”
The discovery of Baminornis zhenghensis is additional evidence that birds originated earlier than previously thought and flourished during the Jurassic Period. Scientists believe further excavations in the region may uncover even more fossils, offering new insights into the origins of modern birds.
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