Fossil Discovery in China Reshapes the Timeline of Bird Evolution
A newly discovered fossil from southeastern China is rewriting the history of avian evolution, revealing that birds with modern anatomical features soared through the skies millions of years earlier than previously believed.The fossil, named Baminornis zhenghensis, was found in Zhenghe County, Fujian province, and dates back approximately 150 million years to the Jurassic period. Published in the journal Nature, this discovery places Baminornis among the oldest known birds, alongside Archaeopteryx, the famed “first bird” fossil unearthed in Germany in 1862.
“For over 150 years, Archaeopteryx has stood alone as the only undisputed bird fossil from the Jurassic period,” said Steve Brusatte, a paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh. “This new fossil changes that.”
A Missing Link in Evolution
Though other birdlike fossils from the Jurassic have been found, scientists have long puzzled over the lack of confirmed bird specimens from that era. If Archaeopteryx was already flying, logic suggested that other birds must have existed too. The discovery of Baminornis fills this long-standing gap in the fossil record, making it the second confirmed bird from the Jurassic period.
Lead researcher Min Wang, from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, called the find “very exciting.”
“These fossils fundamentally change our understanding of early bird evolution,” Wang told NBC News. “They show that birds originated much earlier than we previously thought.”
What Makes Baminornis Different?
Unlike Archaeopteryx, which had a long, reptile-like tail, Baminornis featured a pygostyle—a fused set of tail vertebrae similar to those found in modern birds. This shorter tail, a crucial aerodynamic feature, shifted the bird’s center of mass toward its wings, allowing for improved flight.
Until now, such adaptations were believed to have evolved at least 20 million years later, seen in birds like Eoconfuciusornis and Protopteryx.
“What excites me most is that Baminornis was a more advanced flyer than Archaeopteryx,” Brusatte said. “It shows that bird evolution was already in full swing during the Jurassic.”
The fossilized remains of Baminornis—found alongside numerous aquatic and semiaquatic species in what researchers are calling the “Zhenghe Fauna” collection—suggest a diverse ecosystem. So far, at least three fossils from this site appear to belong to early birds or their closest relatives, hinting at a broader range of Jurassic avian species yet to be uncovered.
Unanswered Questions
Although the fossil preserves much of Baminornis’ skeleton, its feathers were not fossilized, leaving gaps in understanding its wing structure and flight mechanics. The absence of a skull also limits knowledge about its diet.
Still, the discovery suggests that bird evolution began as early as 164 to 172 million years ago—pushing back previous estimates by millions of years.
“Baminornis tells us that birds were already diversifying in the Jurassic, developing different flight styles and adaptations,” Brusatte said.
With more fossils from the Zhenghe Fauna yet to be studied, researchers are optimistic that future discoveries will continue to reshape our understanding of how modern birds evolved from their dinosaur ancestors.
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