Confuciusornis

Name means: Confucius bird
About the size of a crow
Length: 8 to 12 in (00 m)
Weight: 1 lb (.45 kg)

Confuciusornis is one of the oldest birds that lived during the Early Cretaceous (120 mya) in eastern Asia. It is one of the most common fossil birds from the Early Cretaceous -- hundreds of specimens ranging from juveniles to adults have been discovered. Confuciusornis indicates that birds rapidly diversified after their origin. The largest Confuciusornis specimens were about the size of a crow. Skeletons of Confuciusornis are well preserved and many specimens preserve evidence of feathers and soft tissue. Confuciusornis had a short tail and large wings. Some scientists think that two elongated, streamer-like feathers found in some Confuciusornis specimens were used for courtship behavior. It had a beak and it has been hypothesized that they ate plants even though fish remains have been found in the stomach of one specimen. It is clear that Confuciusornis was a flyer and exhibited many of the requirements for flight including: large wings, a furcula, and a modified pectoral girdle.