Thursday, April 30, 2026
Sci/Tech - LEVEL1

Chinese Fossils Unlock Secrets of Early Bird Evolution

By aimee yang
Chinese Fossils Unlock Secrets of Early Bird Evolution

Paleontologists found fossils of two ancient bird species in Zhenghe County, Fujian province, China. These fossils are 149 million years old. They show important bird features that appeared early in their history. This discovery suggests that birds may have started to appear earlier than we thought.

One bird, named Baminornis zhenghensis, is the oldest known short-tailed bird. It has a short tail with a bone called the pygostyle, which is found in modern birds. Until now, the earliest short-tailed bird was thought to be from the Early Cretaceous period. This new finding pushes back that date by nearly 20 million years.

The second bird is not named yet. It is identified by a single fossilized wishbone, called a furcula. Researchers believe this furcula is related to a group of Cretaceous birds called Ornithuromorpha.

This research was published in the journal Nature by Professor Min Wang and his team from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology.

Test Your Understanding

Start Quiz

Vocabulary List:
6 words · tap to reveal
ON

Accent

Paleontologists/ˌpeɪ.li.ənˈtɒl.ə.dʒɪsts/noun
Scientists who study fossils and the history of life on Earth.

Fossils/ˈfɒs.ɪl/noun
Preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms.

Cretaceous/krɪˈteɪ.ʃəs/adjective
Relating to the last period of the Mesozoic era known for the dominance of dinosaurs.

Identification/aɪˌdɛntɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/noun
The action or process of identifying someone or something.

Furcula/ˈfɜːr.kjʊ.lə/noun
A forked structure in birds commonly known as the wishbone.

Discovery/dɪsˈkʌv.ə.ri/noun
The act of finding or learning something for the first time.
Vocabulary Learning

How much do you know?

Where were the fossils of two ancient bird species found?
Zhenghe County, Fujian province, China
Beijing, China
New York, USA
London, UK
How old are the fossils of the ancient bird species?
100 million years old
120 million years old
149 million years old
200 million years old
What bone is present in the oldest known short-tailed bird?
Scapula
Femur
Pygostyle
Clavicle
Which group of Cretaceous birds is the furcula believed to be related to?
Ornithuromorpha
Tyrannosauridae
Hadrosauridae
Ankylosauria
Who published the research on the ancient bird species?
Professor Min Wang
Dr. Sarah Lee
Dr. John Smith
Professor Emily Davis
Which journal published the research on the ancient bird species?
Nature
Science
Cell
Journal of Paleontology
The discovery of the ancient bird fossils suggests that birds may have appeared later than previously thought.
The oldest known short-tailed bird was previously believed to be from the Late Cretaceous period.
The second bird species found in Zhenghe County, Fujian province, China, is named Baminornis zhenghensis.
The furcula is a bone found in the wishbone of birds.
The furcula found in the second bird fossil is related to a group of Cretaceous birds called Troodontidae.
The Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology is located in Beijing, China.
The fossils found in Zhenghe County, Fujian province, China, are million years old.
The pygostyle is a bone found in the of Baminornis zhenghensis.
The second bird species identified by a fossilized furcula is related to the group of Cretaceous birds called .
Professor Min Wang and his team published their research in the journal .
The discovery of these ancient bird species challenges the previous understanding of when birds started to .
The furcula found in the second bird fossil is believed to be from a species closely related to the .
This question is required
aimee yang
aimee yanghttps://esl-news.com

Test Your Understanding

Start Quiz
Vocabulary List:
6 words · tap to reveal
ON
Accent
Paleontologists/ˌpeɪ.li.ənˈtɒl.ə.dʒɪsts/noun
Scientists who study fossils and the history of life on Earth.
Fossils/ˈfɒs.ɪl/noun
Preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms.
Cretaceous/krɪˈteɪ.ʃəs/adjective
Relating to the last period of the Mesozoic era known for the dominance of dinosaurs.
Identification/aɪˌdɛntɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/noun
The action or process of identifying someone or something.
Furcula/ˈfɜːr.kjʊ.lə/noun
A forked structure in birds commonly known as the wishbone.
Discovery/dɪsˈkʌv.ə.ri/noun
The act of finding or learning something for the first time.
Vocabulary Learning

How much do you know?

Where were the fossils of two ancient bird species found?
Zhenghe County, Fujian province, China
Beijing, China
New York, USA
London, UK
How old are the fossils of the ancient bird species?
100 million years old
120 million years old
149 million years old
200 million years old
What bone is present in the oldest known short-tailed bird?
Scapula
Femur
Pygostyle
Clavicle
Which group of Cretaceous birds is the furcula believed to be related to?
Ornithuromorpha
Tyrannosauridae
Hadrosauridae
Ankylosauria
Who published the research on the ancient bird species?
Professor Min Wang
Dr. Sarah Lee
Dr. John Smith
Professor Emily Davis
Which journal published the research on the ancient bird species?
Nature
Science
Cell
Journal of Paleontology
The discovery of the ancient bird fossils suggests that birds may have appeared later than previously thought.
The oldest known short-tailed bird was previously believed to be from the Late Cretaceous period.
The second bird species found in Zhenghe County, Fujian province, China, is named Baminornis zhenghensis.
The furcula is a bone found in the wishbone of birds.
The furcula found in the second bird fossil is related to a group of Cretaceous birds called Troodontidae.
The Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology is located in Beijing, China.
The fossils found in Zhenghe County, Fujian province, China, are million years old.
The pygostyle is a bone found in the of Baminornis zhenghensis.
The second bird species identified by a fossilized furcula is related to the group of Cretaceous birds called .
Professor Min Wang and his team published their research in the journal .
The discovery of these ancient bird species challenges the previous understanding of when birds started to .
The furcula found in the second bird fossil is believed to be from a species closely related to the .
This question is required

Read More

ESL-NEWS: Enhance your English through tailored news, perfect for improving reading and listening skills. Dive into stories that match your level, making learning engaging and connected to the real world.

About

Trending

Categories