Fossil shows early bird evolved for land life
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Scientists in China discovered a 150-million-year-old bird fossil that could not fly, challenging previous ideas about bird evolution.
A team led by Dr. Wang Min from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences found the fossil in the Jehol Biota of Fujian Province. The newly identified species, Yuezhuornis yangyuanensis, possessed features of both birds and small carnivorous dinosaurs, including a predatory foot and teeth.
Researchers analysed the fossil’s bones, a partial skeleton the size of a crow, and compared its structure to those of other early birds, theropod dinosaurs, and modern birds. They determined that Yuezhuornis had a body plan suited for life on the ground. Its short forearms, leg proportions, and shoulder bone structure suggest it was not adapted for flight. The team believes this discovery indicates that early bird evolution wasn’t solely focused on developing flight.
Instead, some early birds adapted to terrestrial life, contributing to the diversification of the avian lineage. The fossil weighs an estimated 821 grams and its leg-to-arm ratio is similar to ground-dwelling birds like pheasants.
