150-Million-Year-Old Bird Shows Evidence of Early Flight Loss
A 150-million-year-old fossil discovered in China has revealed an early bird with a combination of dinosaur and bird characteristics. The animal had sharp teeth, a dinosaur-like claw, and a body suited to life on the ground rather than flight.
Researchers believe the fossil may document the earliest known example of flight loss among birds. If that interpretation holds, the discovery challenges assumptions about how early birds evolved from flight-capable ancestors to terrestrial forms.