Fossil Discovery Sheds Light on Bird Evolution From Dinosaurs

WHO:

Sci.News - Paleontologists in China described a small, previously unknown Jurassic bird named Zhengheornis buyu.

Sci.News - Dr. Zhonghe Zhou is a paleontologist with the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Sci.News - Dr. Min Wang is also from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

WHAT:

Phys.org - A study published in the journal Science Advances provides insights into a tail adaptation that helps birds fly.

Sci.News - Zhengheornis buyu has a tail containing just 15 vertebrae, fewer than the 23 to 24 found in Archaeopteryx.

Sci.News - The body mass of Zhengheornis buyu is estimated to be between 74 to 163 grams.

Sci.News - The findings suggest that tail shortening and pygostyle formation did not occur simultaneously.

WHERE:

Sci.News - The holotype specimen of Zhengheornis buyu was found in the Nanyuan Formation near Yangyuan village in Zhenghe country, Fujian province, China.

WHEN:

Sci.News - The fossil dates back 148-150 million years to the end of the Jurassic period.

Sci.News - The holotype specimen was found in 2024.

WHY:

Sci.News - The discovery provides evidence for how the earliest birds transitioned from long, dinosaur-like tails to the compact tailbone that aids in flight.

HOW:

Sci.News - The analysis of Zhengheornis buyu suggests a stepwise evolutionary path where vertebral reduction and shortening preceded pygostyle fusion in early bird evolution.

Sci.News - The study indicates that avialans underwent a major adaptive radiation by the end of the Jurassic period, evidenced by the varying body size, skeletal architecture, and niche preferences among co-occurring Zhenghe birds.

(UPDATED July 8, 2026 19:29 UTC)

Paleontologists in China have described a new Jurassic bird species named Zhengheornis buyu, which was discovered in the Nanyuan Formation near Yangyuan village in Fujian province. This small bird, estimated to weigh between 74 to 163 grams, features a tail with just 15 vertebrae, fewer than the 23 to 24 found in Archaeopteryx, indicating a significant evolutionary adaptation that aids in flight. The findings suggest that the transition from long, dinosaur-like tails to a more compact tailbone occurred in stages, providing valuable insights into the evolution of early birds.