Image #240502

The oldest known beaked bird, Confuciusornis santus, was found in volcanic ash deposits in Liaoning Province, China, dating back to the Early Cretaceous period over 125 million years ago. Like its distant ancestor the Archaeopteryx, the fossil has claws on the wing edge but it does not have teeth.

While Archaeopteryx is more reptilian, this creature belongs to the family Aves, a true bird.

Fossil photographed at the Orlando Science Center.